


Buzzcut Season

by trueamericanwolf



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Blowjobs, Cheating, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Gun Violence, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Minor Character Death, Miscarriage, Multi, Oral Sex, POV Multiple, Panic Attacks, Sex, Underage Drinking, handjobs, jerking off
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-05-09 16:00:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14719184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trueamericanwolf/pseuds/trueamericanwolf
Summary: Clay maybe didn't think it all the way through. Sure, he stopped Tyler from shooting up the dance, but he also made sure he put Tyler -- who is in a very fragile state -- in a car with Tony. No matter, Clay can fix it, right?Also, known as me just addressing the cliffhangers...again.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Last year after I watched 13 Reasons Why I fell down the rabbit hole and wrote a 96k fic in 5 weeks answering all the cliffhangers. Let's see how far I fall down the hole this year. 2018, here we go. 
> 
> Things you may need to know going into my writing. I love fluid sexuality. That is all. And, also, this is not going to be beta'd or edited at all. So, all mistakes are my own and I apologize in advance.
> 
> Also, at the beginning of each chapter, I am going to post a song in the chapter summary. You do not need to listen to it if you don't want to, but I'm having fun and wanting to post songs that go with the mood, sort of. So, that's also something that will happen throughout this mess of a fic. Thanks for reading!!! 
> 
> Anthem Part 2 - Blink 182

The sirens were still wailing in the distance but they were starting to faint away into the background as Tony gripped the steering wheel and sped down the street. His jaw was clenched so hard he honestly thought he might break a tooth off. Each breath was deep and through his nose, the sound of his engine filling the tension in the car.

Tony did not say a word, not until he was for sure they were out of the way of the cops. How fucking hard was it for the kids at Liberty High to stay the fuck out of trouble? He was on his second strike and all he needed to do was keep out of it all, and now he was somehow driving the psychopath who was just about to shoot up the school dance. If by some fucking miracle he got out of this mess, he was going to transfer schools. He needed to get out of that town and away from all the problems, and skeletons from his past, that plagued his every goddamn step.

With a sharp right down an alleyway, Tony shut off the car lights and parked, turning the key and ceasing the engine. Tyler was next to him, head down, jaw moving from side to side as his hands were tightly gripped together. There were a few gashes across his forehead that looked recent. Recent enough to have had to have happened that day at school. Which meant someone had to have fucked with him. People just couldn’t leave things be.

Tony was able to unhinge his jaw enough to take a ragged breath in before saying, “Tyler.”

The boy leered at him, and then there was this pause. It was bordering on terrifying and even with the adrenaline coursing through every vein in Tony’s body, a chill ran down his spine.

“What?” Tyler finally said, his tongue flicking across his bottom lip.

“I get it. I want to --”

“No, you don’t,” he said, cocking his head as though he was computing the conversation.

“Someone fucked with you. I get it. But, dude, what the fuck?”

“I said you don’t get it.” Tyler’s voice was weirdly calm as he blinked a few times and turned his attention forward to the road. “You would never fucking get it. I mean, you beat the shit out of people. I have pictures of you in the hallway. All of you.”

“Tyler,” Tony said with a caution in his tone and his demeanor. This is what his anger management lessons have all been about. He needed to redirect his anger and focus on not escalating the situation. “Okay, I don’t get it. But I’m on my second strike and I’m terrified as hell of going into juvie. Aren’t you scared of going to jail?”

“No, not really. I don’t think anything worse could happen to me.” With a smooth glide of his hand, Tyler yanked a pistol from the side of his jeans and aimed it at Tony. “Take me to Montgomery’s house.”

“Tyler, listen to me.”

The butt of the gun connected with Tony’s nose and a searing hot pain shot up his face and through his skull as the metallic taste of his warm blood filled his mouth.

“Don’t make me kill you,” Tyler said. “Just fucking drive.”

“Okay,” Tony said, spitting blood on his jeans and turning the engine over, the roar fading into the night as Tony sped off, his heart racing faster than his car down the road.

###

Clay stood with the heavy automatic weapon in his hand as the voices of Jessica and Justin filled the night air. They broke through to him and so did the sirens as he stared off into the night, not really sure what to do next. In the moment it made sense but now he was holding the rifle and remembering when the school had gone over the active shooter policy. The police neutralize the threat, and they base the threat off of who the fuck is holding the goddamn rifle.

“Clay, we need to go!” Justin pulled at his arm and the gun dropped to the floor. “Jessica, go back inside and tell everyone to tell the cops nothing. Clay, we need to go!”

Reaching down, Justin grabbed the gun and flung the strap over his shoulder, shaking Clay and finally awakening him from his daze.

“Yeah,” Clay said, realizing how little time they had as him and Justin bolted to the student parking lot to get into his Prius and silently get the fuck out of there.

Clay popped the trunk and Justin tossed the gun in and slammed it, running around to the passenger door.

“Go, go, go,” his soon to be adopted brother yelled.

Clay pushed the gas and the car was off. Not speeding or screeching off, but they swiftly made it out the exit side of the parking lot right as red and blue police lights began to shine against the school.

“Holy shit,” Clay said, blinking in disbelief. “Holy shit, did that really just happen?”

“Yes, Clay, it did.” Justin’s face was sweating and he did not look so good.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he said, gnawing at his lower lip. “I just don’t get how you aren’t fucking, like, I don’t know, freaking out? You just had a fucking automatic rifle pointed at you and somehow you’re asking me if I’m okay? Clay, do you have some sort of death wish?”

“No, I just knew if we intervened that we could save lives, and Tyler. Did you see the gashes on his forehead? He got beat up for coming back. And maybe you don’t understand because you were living in dopeland, but I’d kill some people at the school.”

“Yeah, no shit,” Justin said, with a bitterness in his tone. “I had to stop you from killing Bryce, or did you forget about that insane stunt you pulled.”

“I guess I get where Tyler’s coming from, I don’t know.” Clay wanted to tell Justin to fuck off. He ran away when it got the worst and then dealt with his problems through heroin. Clay, on the other hand, was given 800mg ibuprofen because they no longer were prescribing good pain medicine because of the stupid fucking opioid crisis. Which Justin was now a statistic in.

“And I don’t?” Justin crossed his arms and huffed. “I’ve wanted to kill Bryce for so long. I seethed in anger in those motel rooms the first few weeks I was gone. I thought of every way I could murder that son of a bitch and you know what happened?”

“What?” Clay asked, turning down the street and parking, looking for Tony’s car.

“The day I went looking to buy a gun on the streets I got mugged and beat to shit.” Justin did a small laugh through his nose. “They didn’t take the money I had hidden in my boot. And you know what? It was just enough to get me something to take the pain away.”

“Shit,” Clay said, turning and making eye contact with Justin and his stupid puppy dog face with those eyes. Maybe Clay really just wanted a puppy and settled to adopt Justin instead, because whenever he looked like that it sucked Clay back into wanting to make sure Justin was clean and okay. And so far, to Clay’s happiness, it was working.

“Yeah. I went to find a gun to shoot that motherfucker, but instead, I found a needle to shoot myself with.”

“Well, you’re clean now.” Clay took his hand and placed it on Justin’s shoulder, gently squeezing it and smiling. “And you have a home.”

Justin averted his eyes and sniffled. “Yeah,” he said, and Clay could hear the pain in his voice. “You’re right. Thanks for everything.”

“Hey, I’m here for you.”

Justin and him made eye contact and there was this odd tension that shifted the air and made Clay feel like he was losing his breath. The way Justin’s soft blue eyes were on his and his bottom lip, all pouted up, shined in the moonlight. Clay had not even realized that his hand was still on Justin’s shoulder until the boy shifted in his seat and turned his body fully facing Clay. His slacks tightened as he and Justin stayed in silence.

Why was he suddenly attracted to Justin? He’d always liked both boys and girls, but Justin was just such an odd one to go for. He hated him the year before, was ready to kill him for Hannah. And just because the boy had those poor “help me I have nowhere else to turn” eyes Clay was into him. Man, he really did have a type for damaged people. Hannah wasn’t wrong about that.

Justin cleared his throat and smiled.

“What?” Clay asked, pulling his hand back and feeling the left side of his mouth rise up into a smirk. “I just wanted to make sure you know I’m here.”

“I do,” Justin said.

Clay watched as the boy looked down at his lap and bit his bottom lip. He turned away before he got the impulse to act on anything and try and see if Justin felt the same. Besides, he literally had just asked him to be his adopted brother. He was not entirely sure bringing up his attraction for Justin would make for a great stay. It would probably run the kid off and he would end up back on the streets and on heroin. Clay couldn’t let that happen.

“Tony should be here by now,” Clay said, breaking the tension and reaching for his phone in the cup holder.

No messages. No missed calls. Nothing.

Clay dialed his friend’s number and listened as it rang and rang and rang before the line picked up and then immediately hung up. Redialing, he waited for it to ring but this time it went straight to Tony’s answering machine.

“Hey, it’s Tony, you know what to do.”

Clay lowered the phone and turned to Justin with a feeling of panic twisting its way through his body and wrapping around his heart.

“Clay?” Justin’s face was full of concern. “Clay, what is it?”

“I think we made a mistake,” he said, trying the number again and getting Tony’s answering machine again. “I think we made a huge fucking mistake.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica runs back in to tell the others while Tyler and Tony continue on with their night.
> 
> Control - Halsey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all like this addition to the story. We are moving along swimmingly with the storyline :)

Jessica charged down the hallway as her flower dress flapped in the wind and almost opened. She grabbed the matching fabric belt and did a quick tie of it as she kept on her way. How the hell could she have let that happen? What the fuck had gotten into her? She and Alex had just made things official. It was a mistake. It was just a mistake.

Jessica had hated herself already for even entertaining the idea of the two of them getting back together, and now she cheated on Alex with him. It was not her in that moment. They were just talking. She just wanted to check in on him and make sure he was okay. But when he brought up life and death and said he never wanted to end it, his eyes were so honest and full of love.

The moment their lips touched it was over. Her mind was put on autopilot and her body took over. His lips were so soft and he was so gentle in everything he did. From his hands lightly on her shoulder to him letting her lead the way. It was the first time she did not have a panic attack while being intimate since…. Justin allowed that to happen and she knew better.

“Fuck,” she said, stopping just before entering the gymnasium. “Get your shit together, Jessica. Right now you need to just focus on the present.”

The music played through the doors and filled the hallways where a few couples were making out, some friends were talking, and a few kids were slumped down by the lockers. No one knew the police were about to come charging in. She couldn’t waste any time to warn them, though. She needed to make sure her friends were all together on this.

Jessica pushed the doors open and was immersed in the loud, hot and sticky, dark room that was the school dance. She immediately maneuvered her way through people to get to the middle where they all were before. To her relief they the group of them were all still together. All eyes turned to her with worry and confusion.

“Just listen,” she said over the music. “It’s taken care of. We’re good. Now, who the fuck called the cops?”

“Me,” Zach said. “I’m not about to die because Clay thinks he can stop Tyler.”

“Well, great,” Jessica said. “How are we gonna act like we don’t know when you fucking called the cops!”

“From the school phone. I’m not a dumbass.”

“Guys, we need to go,” Cryus said, his sister next to him nodding.

“Agreed,” Alex said, already starting to walk.

“No,” Jessica said. “We stay here and pretend like we don’t know a goddamn thing. There is already too much drama that circulates around us in particular and I am not about to have it seem like a prank call for an active shooter happened and suddenly all of us leave right as the cops arrive. Think shit through.”

“So, what?” Alex said, turning to her. Jessica could not help but turn away from his gaze. The guilt was already too much. He had no idea what happened. “We just bob around fake dancing and wait for the cops to come barging--”

“Everybody down!”

The music abruptly shut off, the lights came on and blinded the dance floor, and a small army of heavily armored police with automatic weapons came storming into the dance. They continued to shout for everyone to get on the ground as they pointed their guns at kids. Screams of panic were everywhere as Jessica and her friends all put their hands up and got down. Alex needed help, which Zach assisted with, making sure the boy was okay on the floor before dropping down himself.

The police made their way through the entire gym before they left to sweep the rest of the school. Jessica almost wanted to just tell them the truth so they would not have to wait for them to realize there is no one at the school, but she knew she couldn’t do that. So, instead, her, Alex, Zach, Cyrus, MacKenzie, and her date all sat on the dirty gym floor in their dressed-up clothes. Well, maybe not all of them, but Alex had a nice button down with a blazer that Jessica thought looked very handsome on him.

How could she do that to him?

“We’re probably going to be here a while,” Zach sighed. “What happened out there, anyway?”

“I ran out with Justin and Tyler had this, like, AR-15 or something pointed at Clay. He shouted for us to go back and we did and then we heard Tony screeching up and when we came out and Clay was holding the rifle and Tyler was gone. I don’t know what the hell he said to convince Tyler not to, but he did.”

“So, wait?” Cyrus cocked his spikey-haired head. “Clay has the assault rifle now?”

“Yeah, I guess. He and Justin ran into the parking lot.” Jessica let out a deep breath. “What the fuck?”

“Yeah, what the fuck is right.” Zach had his arms crossed. “Didn’t he just get back from some camp to make him better or some shit.”

“He was doing better,” McKenzie interrupted. “He was. But he texted me these pictures of him holding a gun in front of a mirror with a message that said ‘get out now.’. Here, look.” She took her phone out of her jacket pocket and opened it to the picture and passed the phone to her left. “Zoom in on his face. Someone beat him today.”

“Jesus,” Zach said, handing the phone to Alex. “This is so fucked up. Did you ever think this would happen at this school?”

“Is that a serious question?” Cyrus said, his brows furrowed. “It’s happening like every other week and at much better off schools than ours. We literally have a school breeding ground for violence.”

“It was just a matter of time,” Alex said, quietly handing the phone to Jessica.

“I don’t get it, though.” Jessica zoomed in and looked at his face. He looked hollowed out. “How is shooting anyone going to solve anything. I never got it.”

“It’s not about solving anything,” Cyrus began. “It’s about just absolutely fucking everything up. Fucking it up so badly so that people will know your pain.”

“He could just shoot himself like me,” Alex interjected.

“Alex,” Jessica said, angrily smacking his arm. “Don’t say that.”

“You’re right. He probably saw how I failed and figured the police wouldn’t. My dad’s a good shot.”

“No matter how fucked up life is,” Zach said, turning to Alex and giving him a direct look. “Shooting yourself, or anyone else isn’t the fucking answer. Tyler better get admitted to a psych ward because I am not coming to school again until I know he’s gone.”

“He owns pistols, too.” Cyrus put his head down. “He took me shooting a few times. I should have seen the signs. He even told me he had more guns. I just didn’t think he meant….”

“Listen,” Jessica said, turning to the boy and giving him a sympathetic look. “I think a criterion of being in our friend group is having immense regret about something we could have stopped, so, welcome.”

The circle of teenagers chuckled and that lightened the mood.

That was until the phones began to ring and they soon realized that their school was on the local news, all over Facebook, and gaining traction on Twitter. The parents call began to rain down on all of them as they now had to explain that they were okay to their panicked guardians.

###

“What’s the plan?” Tony asked, sitting still as he and Tyler were parked down the block from Montgomery’s house. The gun was now in Tyler’s lap but still aimed at Tony, just not visible to anyone passing by.

The boy’s backpack was in between his legs as his left one tapped away. “Let’s go.”

“Go where?”

“Get out of the car and walk like normal.” Tyler kept the gun pointed as Tony climbed out of his car and into the crisp night air.

Tyler grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder. Tony made his way around the car cautiously and saw that Tyler had his pistol in his jacket pocket. The boy stood behind Tony and placed the tip of the gun against his back. Tony’s breath caught in his throat as he began to walk forward. All he could hope for was that someone would see, someone would drive by, something would stop this from going any further.

But as they made it to the wooden steps that led up the porch of Montgomery’s home, it looked as though no such miracle would occur. Tyler shoved his gun against Tony’s back and told him to keep going. His insides were in knots and his whole body was sweating but cold as he took the first step to the front door. Each step brought more and more fear in Tony until he was in front of the screen door, standing on top of a welcome mat that was home to a smiling sun. Tyler reached around him and rang the doorbell.

“What the fuck,” Tony hissed.

“Shut the fuck up,” Tyler said, the porch light coming on and illuminating the red front door.

A man with a thick mustache and short scruff surrounding the rest of his face answered the door. He did not look welcoming at all, standing in front of the two boys in nothing just striped boxers and an open bathrobe. The house smelled of cigarettes and Tony could see that his mustache above his lip had a yellow hue to it.

“I don’t want nothing,” the man said, looking the two of them up and down.

“Is your son home?” Tyler asked.

“Monty? That son of a bitch ain’t been home all day. Why? What’d he do now?”

“I’d like to wait for him.” Tyler still had this weird type of calmness to him that was making Tony’s skin crawl.

“You’d like to what? I don’t what the fuck you think this is, but --”

Tyler pulled the gun out from behind Tony and pointed it at Montgomery’s father. “Let me the fuck in your house.”

“Tyler, what the hell.” Tony’s eyes were wide as he watched the man open the screen and gesture for them to come in. His legs were shaking in place and they felt like they had been cemented to the ground.

Tyler shoved him forward and next thing Tony knew he was standing inside of Montgomery’s home. The wallpaper was a worn out stained white with small blue flowers decorating every inch. There was a staircase directly in front of Tony and a hallway that led to what looked like the kitchen. A small living room was to their right where Tony could see an empty recliner, a lit cigarette dangling in the ashtray with a swirling smoke trail, and two crunched beer cans next to an open one.

“You like SVU?” Monty’s dad scratched his balls and then headed for the cracked leather recliner.

Tyler followed him, cocking his head at the surroundings as they entered the room. An American flag was pinned up against an entire side of the wall behind the television. There was a couch next to the recliner and Tyler sat down next to Montgomery’s dad. It was all so fucking unnerving and Tony wanted to be anywhere but.

“What’d Monty do?” His dad said it as though this wasn’t the first time someone had shown up with a gun at his door. “Break your car? Harass you? I mean, Jesus, every other day I’m finding out something about my son.”

“He raped me,” Tyler said, and Tony had to do a double take to make sure he heard that correctly.

“What the fuck did you just say?” The man leaned forward with so much hate in his eyes, Tony was now kind of hoping he would stop Tyler.

“You heard me.”

“My son ain’t a faggot.”

Tony hated that word so goddamn much. It was honestly a trigger for him. He had been called it so much in his old junior high that he had to fight his way through, day in and day out. Faggot was the word they always used and faggot was the word that made him see red. He took a few deep breaths because that is what he was going to classes to fight. His anger. It was inside him raw and firey, and he needed to tame it.

“You raised him.” Tyler sighed. “You raised an animal.”

And with that comment, he raised the pistol and shot the man.

Tony’s hearing cut out from the ringing as he watched Montgomery’s dad bleed out in front of him on the leather. The bullet went through his neck and blood was pooling out onto his bare chest and stomach, staining the robe as it seeped in. Vomit came retching up and Tony had to turn away and slam his hands over his mouth to keep from throwing up. His hands were shaking and his body felt tingly as he tried to get a full breath. Each was short and he felt like the room was getting smaller with each moment.

“Now we wait,” Tyler said, crossing his legs and reaching for the beer, taking a gulp before turning to the television and watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Justin and Clay will be in the next chapter! Also, character death is my fave so expect a few more to die~*~*~*~


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Justin and Alex both struggle with some guilt.
> 
> Bad Moon Rising - CCR

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope yall still like it! :)

“Clay, what the fuck are we gonna do?” Justin could feel his insides starting to twist and his skin starting to heat up. He hated the comedown. His palms were clammy as he shoved them in his lap and leaned forward, trying his best to seem more worried than sick.

“I don’t know?” Clay had a look of dread on his face and his eyes were as wide as ever.

“We can’t call the cops.” Justin knew Clay had to have already realized that, but he figured he needed to state it just in case. They kind of aided Tyler. Sure, they stopped him, but they also just let a psycho on the loose. If Tony was even alive still, who knew where the fuck Tyler was and what he was doing.

“I’m gonna call him again. Maybe he just has shitty cell service.”

“You’ve called him five times already, Clay. Come on. We need to--”

Clay’s ringtone blared and cut him off. His phone began to vibrate in his slacks. Justin saw that it was Mr. Jensen calling him. Next to him he heard Clay say, “mom.” The Jensen’s calling both of them. Something bad must have happened. Tyler must have still shot up the school.

“Um, hi, Mr. Jensen,” Justin said as he answered the call.

“Are you okay?” The first words out of his mouth. “It’s all over the news. There’s a possible active shooter at the school.”

“Wow, really?” Justin tried his best to act like he didn’t know. He took his left hand and grabbed the back of his neck while he continued on. “Clay and I left early and are on our way home right now. I had no idea.”

“You’re with Clay?” There was a sound of relief in the man’s voice. “Oh, thank God you’re both safe. And you’re on your way home?”

“Yeah, totally.” Justin turned to his friend with a look of worry. What if Clay had told his mom something else. He wasn’t good on the spot. When Alex had asked him earlier where Jess was he froze like an idiot. How hard was it to just lie and say he didn’t know.

Jessica.

That was a mistake. He was not in the right state of mind. It had been months. She was with Alex and he had moved on. Well, not on, but his attraction was to someone else and at the moment that someone was hanging up with his soon to be adopted mother. It was all sorts of fucked up, just as Justin’s life always was. There was never anything in the world that he could not fuck up.

Clay and him were closer than ever and the boy made him feel this sort of safety that none of his other friends ever quite did. Sure, Bryce protected him. But it wasn’t out of kindness or love or anything that remotely felt close to the energy that was being emitted from Clay. Even when Justin felt like shit somehow Clay got him to smile and laugh and take his mind off of things.

He needed to stop using. That short haired, cute blue-eyed boy trusted him and truly believed he was clean. And for Clay, Justin was determined. That hit was the last. When they got home and he had a moment away from Clay, he was going to throw it away and figure it out from there. He owed it to him.

“I told my mom I got invited to a party and you didn’t.”

“What, why?” Justin did not mean to sound so upset but his voice did not get the memo.

“Because it’s believable and I’m going to drive around and see if I can just find Tony’s car. It’s one of a kind and easy to spot.”

“Why can’t I just come with you?” Justin did not want Clay to go by himself and, selfishly, he wanted to spend as much time together as he could with him.

There was no way he would ever act on how he felt, but being around the boy always made him feel good. Plus, he was worried for him. Tyler had multiple weapons on him and a backpack with God knows what inside of it. Even if Clay found Tony and Tyler, it was still going to be unsafe, and Justin doubted that Clay would be able to talk the buzzcut psycho down again. Not to mention, it apparently didn’t work because now they were in this fucked up scenario.

“I can’t risk putting you in danger. This is on me.” Clay looked at him and there it was, the fluttering that rose through his body and lifted his cheeks into a smile.

“Not everything is on you.”

“I know, I just….this one is. I told them not to call the police.”

“Well, obviously someone did.”

“Thank God they didn’t listen to me.” Clay turned the key in the ignition and turned on the headlights. “I need to do this.”

Justin did not say anything, he just turned and watched the trees blur by as they made their way through suburbia. They were not far from his new home and Justin wanted to go with Clay and convince him to let him but his stomach was not feeling too hot and maybe the alone time would be good. He could get rid of the drugs, shower, and hopefully not get too sick. There was no way he was going to fall asleep when Clay was out.

The car slowed and suddenly Justin’s eyes were facing the house. The living room was lit and he could see that the television was on but no one was sitting in the couch area. Clay cleared his throat and Justin turned to him and paused before yanking him in for a hug. He squeezed the boy tightly and Clay squeezed back.

“Be safe. Call me if you need anything, okay?”

“I will,” Clay said, pulling away slowly and stopping when their faces were still close.

Justin wanted to lean forward and finally feel what those lips tasted like, know how they felt against his own, but he couldn't. Instead, he simply hugged the boy one last time and then turned around and got out of the car. He leaned in before shutting the door and gave Clay a closed mouth half smile.

“I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah,” Clay said, giving him a nod.

Justin shut the car door and watched as his crush drove off down the road and into the night air. Sighing, he turned towards the house and started to make his way up the walkway to the front. A car door slammed from behind him and when he turned around to see, thinking maybe it was Clay coming back, his feeling of hope was stripped away and replaced with heart stopping dread.

Seth.

The man snarled as he made his way forward and Justin could see he was holding a blade in his hand.

“You fucked with me and my business for the last fucking time.”

The world stopped rotating at that moment. Everything around his stopped. Justin was seeing himself from outside his body. His cheeks were sucked in, his eyes had tears forming in them, and his legs were shaking in the baggy pants. Nothing ever stayed consistently good in his life anymore. Even living with Clay. It had been going so well and now it was all falling apart and he was about to be the cause of a crime in the front yard of the Jensen’s. That family was too good. They didn’t deserve that or him.

The world continued on at that moment and Justin watched as Seth came stomping forward with pure rage in his eyes.

Justin balled his fists up and prepared himself.

###

It felt like forever but they were finally getting released. Zach stood up first and then helped Alex up, which he did not mind. He could stand up on his own but Zach always offered and would kind of get upset if Alex refused. It was cute and he couldn’t help that he liked it. He leaned on his bedazzled cane once he was up and thanked Zach. The boy with the beautiful thick black hair gave him a genuine smile and patted him on the shoulder.

“Anytime,” he said. “You know that.”

Alex smirked and nodded in agreement, then he turned to Jessica. “Hey, do you want my dad to give you a ride home?”

“My parents are already waiting outside.” She chortled and shook her head. “They were probably here just because they heard sirens, I swear. My dad has been on such high alert.”

“I don’t blame him.” Alex balanced himself and took before taking his hand from his cane to put it on her shoulder. “You’re sure your good? I know you said you were fine after your parents called but I just want to make sure it wasn’t because everyone was listening.”

“I’m good.” Jessica turned away from him and crossed her arms.

“If you say so.”

Alex watched her for a moment. There was something up. She said she was fine but he knew her, he could read her body language. Either something happened that he didn’t know about or everything going on was too much for her. He could understand that. It was a lot for him. And truth be told, he was not entirely sure how he felt the moment he found out Tyler was coming to the school with a gun. Part of him felt like, “yeah, that sounds about right, it was only a matter of time,” while another part was in a pure panic. He couldn’t run, and he sure as fuck would not have been able to get out of the way of a shooter.

It made him hate himself. His anger was come and go when it came to his life post-suicide attempt. Some days he didn’t mind not having to have the memories of all the shitty things be plaguing his mind all the time, and other days he was in a rage trying to do a task that used to be a mindless part of his day. If Tyler had gotten into the school and started shooting, Alex was sure he would have died. It would have been so tragically ironic. Luckily he dodged a bullet, literally.

“Hey,” Caleb said, his hands on his hips. “Have you guys seen Tony? We got split up at one point after Clay stole him away from me dancing and now I can’t find him.”

Alex and Zach fumbled with their words, both not saying anything other than, “ummm.”

Jessica had to step in. “Clay needed his help with something. I don’t know exactly what but I know they left for a minute.”

“His phone keeps going to voicemail and with all of this….” The poor boy’s face looked so full of anguish.

Alex felt guilty and wanted to just tell him the truth but knew that probably wouldn’t actually ease his mind at all. Your boyfriends with a crazy kid who was just about to kill us all, don’t worry about it.

“Oh, dude,” Cyrus said, throwing his hands up in the air. “I forgot, Tony was complaining about how his phone was on like three percent earlier. It probably just died, man.”

“Oh,” he said, crossing his arms. “Okay, well thank you. I gotta go. If you see him tell him to call me.”

“Of course,” Zach said, giving the kid a toothy grin.

The moment Caleb walked away Alex took his cane and hit him on the shoe. “What the fuck was with that smile? The cops were just here and his boyfriend is missing.”

“I was trying to make sure he knew it was all good,” Zach said defensively. “Trust me, it probably made him feel ten times better.”

“I doubt that. He probably thought you were coming onto him.”

“Please, that’s only with you.” Zach lifted one eyebrow and gave him a wink.

And there it was. The flirting. Or was it? Alex was not sure. He wasn’t entirely sure when he started noticing it but at some point him and Zach began to make little comments to each other. Some were completely innocent and sounded wrong without context but others were deliberate double entendres. It definitely started after the boner incident. In fact, maybe that was the moment their friendship began to shift that way. All Alex knew was each time they got a little closer -- be that talking about dick size, skyping while watching the same porn, or simply lying next to each other in bed talking about nothing -- he would immediately get closer with Jessica after, which he felt guilty for.

Almost each one of their dates could be traced back to a significant moment in his confusing friendship with Zach. Because the truth was Alex was into him, like, kind of a lot. But he couldn’t act on it because Zach was obviously straight. At least that is what Alex convinced himself. There was no way Zach was actually into him. He was just being a typical straight guy who had no worries talking to one of his bros about it. It was eating Alex up inside.

His father came up to him dressed in bulletproof armor, a large mask was being held by his arms on his side. “Come on you two.”

“Is your mom still okay with you spending the night after this?” Alex asked, turning to Zach.

“Yeah, I told her I was still going to.” Zach grinned and slung his arm over Alex’s shoulder. “I already have my change of clothes and everything in my car.”

“Cool,” he said, playing it off like he was not at all very happy. “Dad, he drove. Let us just say bye to our friends and then we will come straight home.”

“Fine. But you come straight home.”

“Of course. Straight home after we go through a drive-thru.” Alex smirked as his dad rolled his eyes but agreed, pulling him in for a very rough one-armed hug.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He turned to his girlfriend and gave her an awkward hug. Not entirely sure if it was because he was feeling guilty for being into Zach or because Jessica was lying about something bothering her, he turned from her and left with Zach.

###

Seth was at him before he had time to fully block the knife. It nicked the inside of his forearm as he jumped back and avoided it from hitting his abdomen. Without any time to waste, Justin grabbed at the man’s hand to get some control of the weapon. He had no time to think of what to do. So, the moment his hand was on top of Seth’s he kicked the man in the balls. The grungy drug dealer howled out in pain and dropped the blade as he teetered back and almost lost his balance.

“That’s it,” he growled, lunging forward and knocking Justin back against the ground, the back of his head connecting with the pavement. His vision gave for a moment and spotted back into reality as two balled up fists came down. He had just enough time to block by shoving his forearms up.

“Get the fuck off him!” Mr. Jensen appeared out of nowhere with a wooden bat and swung it cleanly into the side of Seth’s ribs.

The man was knocked off of Justin and onto the grass. He tried to scramble up but Mr. Jensen hit him again, this time knocking him clean out.

“Get in the house,” he said, pushing Justin behind him as they backed up. “I already called the cops, they should be here any moment.”

“Justin, sweetie, come here.” Mrs. Jensen was standing in the doorway waving him over. “Get inside.”

Justin stumbled forward, his head still spinning from the attack. He made his way to the front and checked behind him and watched as Mr. Jensen waited with the bat in front of him, guarding Justin. He had never experienced that before. Mrs. Jensen pulled him into her embrace the moment he got close. Her arms were rubbing up and down his back and she squeezed him.

“I’m so sorry that happened to you.” She stepped back and pointed to the kitchen table. “Sit, I’m going to get you some first aid.”

Justin sat at the table with his arms extended out in front of him. A small cut was had blood seeping from it, but nothing major. Considering all that had occurred, it could have been a lot worse.

The blonde haired woman who always smelt of clean laundry came sitting down next to him.

“Here,” she said, wiping the cut with an antiseptic before placing a large band-aid on it. “I use these band-aids for Clay, and trust me they stick.”

Justin chuckled. “Thanks.” He looked down and fiddled with his fingers for a moment before turning back to her. “I’m sorry I brought all this to your doorstep. I understand if you don’t want to put up with any more drama.”

“Justin. Look at me.” Her voice was motherly as she spoke. “You are as much a part of this family as I am, as Matt is, as Clay is. We’re adopting you because we care and want you to have a better life. Don’t you for a second forget that.”

Blinking back tears, Justin cleared his throat. “Thank you,” he said, feeling his throat tightening. “May I take a shower.”

His eyes were burning and he knew it was only a matter of time before the floodgates opened.

“Of course,” she said, placing her hand over his. “We love you.”

Justin nodded vigorously because he couldn’t form the words in his throat, he was too choked up. She had tears in her eyes, too.

The boy made it into the bathroom and was able to turn on the shower just as the tears and ugly sobbing came expelling out of him like vomit. He fell down with his knees pulled up to his chest and wept on the bathroom floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is gonna be wild. Just a warning!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex and Zach have a good night compared to everyone else.
> 
> Save - Kevin Abstract

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so you can obviously see from the tag updates what's to come. I was skeptical about writing this but decided what the fuck and did it. Obviously, if you're reading this you've seen the show and that bathroom scene was so graphic, so I tried to make sure to not be as bad as that. That's it for this chapter. It's towards the end in case you are wondering and wanted to skip it.

Justin had his hand out in front of him as the steaming water pelted onto the top of his head and down his face where it mixed with his own tears. His body shook with each sob. The sound of water hitting the tile masked his desperate attempts to catch his breath. His head throbbed where he hit the concrete. Thank God Mr. Jensen had come out when he did or Justin did not know what would have happened. Seth had so much rage in his eyes.

Fucking Seth.

The piece of shit wouldn’t ever have come if he had not taken the money. At the time it seemed like a good idea but as he stood there sobbing in Clay’s shower, it might not have been the best. Shit, he probably put his mom in danger too. Sure, she wasn’t the best mom but she was still a person.

How could he be so fucking selfish? He was always so selfish. No wonder all the people he cared for ended up getting hurt so badly. It was his fault. The thoughts invaded his mind as he continued to cry.

He felt like absolute shit. Aside from simply feeling like a complete and utter disaster in life, his stomach was burning churning in despair and his bones ached deep to the marrow. Justin clenched his jaw and tried to get himself under control but even as he managed to stop the waterworks, his body was still in agony.

The boy turned off the water and opened the shower curtain into the steam filled bathroom. After drying off his hair, he wrapped the towel around his waist and stepped out. He wiped his hand across the mirror to get a look at himself.

It was bad.

His eyes were a map of red veins all leading to the blue center. Gaunt would be the world Justin would use to describe himself. Large dark circles hung above his hollowed in cheeks that were not being lifted by his slack mouth. He could not let the Jensen’s see him like that. They were going to be on high alert to make sure he was okay and if he was coming down this bad, they would know something was up and that he was using again. All he needed to do was take a small hit that night to keep him from basically dying. It would give him enough time to convince Zach or Jessica or even Sheri to let him crash out until he was better.

The Jensens would never know and he would, at least for the night, feel better.

In his mind it was a win-win.

###

Zach was sitting on Alex’s bed unpacking his duffel bag. Why he had that much for a night over? Alex couldn’t say, but he watched the boy as he began to unload. He took out his pajamas, then a few Xbox games, and then before he pulled out the next item he looked up and grinned.

“Your mom still got you on that health food thing?”

“Ugh, yes,” Alex said, rolling his eyes and making his way to sit next to Zach. “Please tell me you brought me an entire fucking cake. I would love some cake right now.”

“Kind of,” Zach said, a smile beaming across his face. “If you consider these actual cakes.”

The boy pulled out a rectangular box of Zebra Cakes and Alex did not waste a moment before he snatched it from Zach’s hands and tore open the end.

“I don’t think you understand how much I love these.” The wrapper was already off and he was shoving the first cake into his mouth, the sweet beautiful taste filling his every taste bud and bringing him to heaven.

Zach had a triumphant look on his face. “I had a feeling you would.”

“You know me so well.” Alex was onto the second little cake after barely even chewing the first one. “I’ve haven’t had one of these in God knows how long. I could kiss you I’m so happy.”

“That reminds me.” Zach pulled out a Ziploc back with a toothbrush and toothpaste inside. “There is no way you’re kissing me without me at least brushing my teeth. Come on, I couldn’t do you like that.”

“Oh, please,” Alex said, taking his last bite. “Like I’d care.”

“You say that now, but you’d definitely like it better if it was minty fresh.”

“You don’t know what I’d like better.” Alex licked the cream off the tip of his finger.

Zach simply shrugged. “Maybe not, but I feel like I know you pretty well by now.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. And it is because of that….” He reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of Bacardi. “I figured you’d also want some of this. Granted I figured tonight would end on a much more happy note but still. Any occasion works.”

“Oh, my God,” Alex said, “now I really wanna kiss you, no toothpaste and all.”

Zach snorted out a laugh and undid the cap, taking a swig of it and scrunching up his face. Alex could feel his cheeks rising into a smile at the sight of the boy’s nose all scrunched up and his mouth pursed. It was cute. Zach placed the cap back on and handed it over to Alex.

“You sure you’re good to drink, though, right? Like the doctor hasn’t said anything about it.”

“Zach,” Alex said, putting the glass in between his legs and taking the top off with his right hand before picking it up and taking a large gulp. It had been a long time since he drank and technically he did not remember the last time due to his brain being all fucked, which must have been why his entire esophagus lit on fire. Alex coughed and felt the fiery liquid go down and heat up his stomach. “Jesus Christ. I forgot how strong alcohol is.”

Zach was howling out a laugh and clapping his hands. “Oh, my God! Your face was so funny.”

“I was trying to be all cool and take a swig and then say, ‘does that answer your question,’ but fucking shit. That was way worse than my broken ass brain remembered.”

“Hey,” Zach said, taking his hand and placing it on Alex’s thigh. “You’re not broken.”

“A little bit.” Alex scrunched up his nose and grinned. “But not where it counts.”

“And where does it count?” Zach moved his hand from Alex’s thigh to the bottle and lifted it to his lips.

“My dick.” Alex waited to say it right until the moment Zach took a drink in hopes that it would make him cough. Sure enough, it did. Now it was Alex who was barking out a laugh at Zach. “That’s what you get for laughing at me.”

Zach was still coughing. “You’re fucked up.”

“Only with you.”

“Romantic.”

###

The blood had stopped pouring out and was now drying on the corpse slouched across from Tony. Tyler was sitting with his head cocked watching the show and the gun was still in his hand, pointed directly at Tony. His leg was bouncing up and down rapidly as he gnawed away on his already bitten down nails. The bridge of his nose was radiating pain from where the pistol hit him and his muscles were tenser than ever. He needed to talk to Tyler, maybe get him to at least let Tony go.

“Ty...Tyler,” he said, really not wanting to look that way but turning anyway, making sure to focus away from the dead body. “Hey, about what you said.”

“What did I say?” The boy muted the television and turned to face him.

“About, um….” Tony did not know how to really broach the subject without possibly setting Tyler off. “About what Monty did?”

Tyler’s eyes twitched for a moment and then he was back to a blank stare. His tongue licked his chapped lips before he answered. “What about it?”

“I just, I don’t know. I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t. No one does. Because that’s how it goes, isn’t it? Liberty High covers everything up. The jocks stalk around that school beating and torturing and raping anyone they feel like. Their animals. And do you know what happens to animals when they become violent? When they are no longer docile and house broken? Do you know what happens to those type of filthy goddamn animals? They get put down.”

Tony’s breath caught in his throat and all his hairs stood on end as Tyler’s dark eyes looked at him as though he was not even human.

“I wonder what the janitor did when he found the mirror smashed, blood on the sink, and the stick to the mop covered in shit and blood? I bet he told the principal, and I bet he had it cleaned up by the time the dance started, no questions asked.”

Tony felt sick to his stomach. How could Monty do that? How could anyone fucking do that to another person? Sure, Tony had anger problems and beat that homophobe within an inch of his life, but he never….The very thought alone made his stomach twist in disgust. No wonder Tyler snapped.

“Tyler,” he said cautiously. “I don’t even know what to say. I’m--”

“You’re sorry. I know. Everyone is sorry but no one does anything. I’m taking action tonight.”

“I totally get that. I do. But you can go to the--”

“I’ve already killed his father. Save me the bullshit. We both know there’s no going back.” Tyler moved his jaw from side to side. “They won’t stop. They never will. I’m going to do to them what they’ve done over and over again. I’m going to make them feel how degraded and powerless a person can feel before I snuff out their meaningless existences.”

“You need to let me go.” Tony could feel tears starting to form. The kid was too far gone. He needed to get the fuck out of there before Tyler decided to kill him also.

“Why would I let you go? You’re going to call the cops.”

“No! No, I won’t. I’m on my second strike, man. I want to get as far away from the police and all this fucked up shit. Please, Tyler, you have to let me go.”

“I can’t let you go, Tony.”

“Yes, you can Tyler, please. You don’t understand. I will just go and not tell anyone, okay. I promise.”

“Stand up.”

“What?” Tony blinked in confusion as tears fell.

“Stand up. I can tell you’re going to be a problem.” Tyler reached into his bag.

“No, no, no, please.” Tony was standing up and moving back away from the boy. “Come on, you don’t need to this.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Tyler screamed. His face was red and veins were visible on the side of his neck. “Fuck!”

Tony saw what he was holding and was not sure if he should panic more or be relieved. A shining pair of handcuffs were dangling from the boy's hand while in his other the pistol was aimed at Tony’s face. Tyler strode forward and stopped when he was directly in front of Tony. Tyler looked down at him and put the barrel to his temple.

“Please,” Tony said, closing his eyes.

A second later the butt of the pistol was being smashed into the side of his face. Tony collided to the ground in agony before he felt Tyler starting to kick him over and over. Tony shielded himself and cried out in pain as his entire body fired up in anguish. One last final kick to his back knocked the wind out of him. His vision was blurry and the next thing he knew he was being dragged by his boots across the carpet. The side of his body smacked against the coffee table as Tyler’s grip on his Achilles tendon had a constant searing pain shooting up his leg.

Before he knew it, his hand was being handcuffed, very tightly, to what looked like a wall heater. It was iron and bolted into the side of the wall. It was behind the recliner so he no longer had to look at the dead body, but there was blood stained on the carpet close to him.

Tyler went back and sat down on the couch, turning the television on, while Tony stayed on the floor, beaten and shackled to the wall.

###

 Zach was lying next to Alex on the bed as the two of them stared at the ceiling. Alex was buzzed for sure, possibly even on the verge of being drunk. Zach seemed pretty okay but his cheeks were red which was a give away that he was feeling it too. Alex’s cheeks always got red when he drank too. The two of them had finished about a quarter of the bottle before lying down and talking.

“Okay, so I have a confession,” Zach said.

Alex remained with his gaze up. “And what would that be?”

“You know that time we skyped and watched porn.”

“Yeah.”

“I kind of jerked off while we were watching it.” Alex could feel Zach shift on the bed so he turned to the side to look. Sure enough, the boy was on his side, head leaning in his hand, looking at Alex.

“Did you now?” Alex could feel his dick getting hard in his slacks, which was not a good thing because they did not hide a boner as well as jeans did.

“Yeah, I’m sorry if that’s weird.”

“No, not at all.” Alex smirked and maneuvered himself so that he was facing Zach. “I also jerked off that night.”

“No way.” The boy chuckled and then made eye contact with Alex. “I’ve been feeling kind of skeezy about it so I’m glad it wasn’t just me.”

“Oh, dude, don’t even worry. Remember, you awoke sleeping beauty anyways.”

“You did not just refer to your dick as sleeping beauty.”

“I did.”

Zach flipped back onto his back and laughed. “Have you ever done that before?”

“The porn or the jerking off part?” Alex rolled back onto his back.

“Both, I guess.”

“Nope. What about you?”

“Not really. It was fun, though. Not gonna lie.”

“Yeah, something about having someone to comment on it with was fun. Jerking off in silence without letting you know I came on the other hand, not so much fun.”

“What part did you come to?”

“Um,” Alex said, “when the guy came.”

“No way. Me too.”

“Stop.” Alex laughed and so did Zach.

“You wanna watch some porn now?” Zach sat up and turned looking down at Alex.

“I’m cool with that.” Alex’s dick twitched in his shorts and he was not sure if Zach saw.

“Okay,” Zach said, lying back down and pulling out his phone. He scooted close to Alex until their bodies were touching. “Let’s find a video.”

They discussed the type of video they wanted and then the two of them went scrolling you YouPorn until they settled on one that they both agreed on. It started and Alex was quiet, holding his breath as the video played on. His dick was begging to get out and but he was not going to be the one to initiate that.

They did not talk for a few minutes as they watched and then Zach paused the video and asked, “did you wanna jerk off?”

Alex took a moment before answering so as to not seem like he really wanted to. “Yeah, for sure. I have a towel in my hamper we can use if you wanna grab it now.”

“For sure.” Zach stood up and Alex could see the outline of his dick in his pants. His heart was beating erratically as the boy plopped back onto the bed with the towel. “Okay, now where were we.”

Zach unzipped his pants first and then Alex followed, taking his hand and slipping in, rubbing his dick. It was already leaking in his underwear as he continued to palm it against his inner thigh. He could see Zach’s hand going to work on his own dick and it was so hot. The way his forearm disappeared into the band of his underwear, teasing Alex.

“Fuck,” Alex said under his breath without meaning to.

“Yeah,” Zach groaned out, slipping down his pants fully. The boy’s dick sprung out and slapped against his abs. Alex could see it was uncut as Zach starting to stroke his hand up and down. His pubes were trimmed neatly into a box above his cock and everything about it was so fucking hot to Alex. He wanted to reach down and wrap his own hand around it and let Zach enjoy the moment.

Instead, Alex pulled his own pants down and started to jerk off his own dick.

“Nice,” Zach said, nudging him with his shoulder.

“You, too,” Alex said, leaning his head over and resting it on Zach’s shoulder.

“You wanna?” Zach asked, already reaching over for Alex’s cock.

“Yes.” Alex said it in a desperate sort of way.

Zach’s hand wrapped around his dick and started working up and down with a firm grip. Alex did the same to Zach’s. The two boys arms were crossed as the two of them worked on each other. Zach wasn’t even holding the video up anymore. They were both just in the moment. Zach’s head was leaning on Alex’s as he let out these small little moans followed by a few cuss words that would send Alex wild.

“You’re so hot,” Alex said, stroking Zach’s dick slowly and making direct eye contact.

“I’m gonna….” Zach came all over his stomach and even onto his chest as Alex stroked up and down until the boy was squirming under his touch.

It was just enough to send him over the top as his toes curled and eyes rolled back. Alex closed his eyes and arched his back as he came all over his own stomach and onto Zach’s hand. When he opened his eyes, Zach leaned forward and kissed him.

It was hot and passionate and their mouths were slammed together in a desperate sort of way as they lied naked together.

When Alex finally pulled away from the kiss he had a large smirk on his face. “You didn’t brush your teeth.”

Zach snorted out a laugh and leaned in for one more quick peck. “And you loved it.”

###

Tony had given up thrashing against the wall. All it did was make his wrist raw and bloody. Instead, he sat quietly and watched for the front door. His view was perfectly across from where the entrance to the living room was. It had been an hour and Montgomery still was not home. Who was to say he would even come home.

But just as Tony was thinking that the latch to the front door made a sound and then the door opened. Montgomery came waltzing in. He slammed the door behind him and when he turned to the living room came to the realization of what was going on.

“What the fuck!” Monty turned from his father to Tyler and then turned to run. A loud bang popped off and Tony shouted as he watched Monty fall to the ground, the bullet tearing through his calf.

Tyler stood up and took the backpack with him. He calmly walked to Tyler who was currently dragging himself out of the living room and trying to make it down the hallway. The gun-wielding boy stood over him and smiled before shooting his other leg. Monty shrieked in pain and wailed out as he still tried to drag himself.

“You’re going to feel what I felt.”

Monty was already halfway into the hallway, making only his legs visible to Tony. Tyler began to unzip his backpack and Tony did not know what the fuck to do. He was screaming for Tyler to stop and trying his hardest to break free but it was no use. The boy pulled out a long-barreled gun that looked like it could be a mini shotgun. Tony was not sure but he watched as Tyler placed it on the ground next to himself and then squatted down, yanking Monty back towards him.

The boy tried to kick but it was no use. Tyler got on top of him and Tony could hear a buckle coming undone and then the sound of a zipper. All he could see were the two boys legs. Monty’s were kicking as Tyler’s were pinned over his. Tony felt sick to his stomach as he twisted and put his legs against the wall, trying to kick off. Pushing as hard as he could, he wailed in pain as his wrist felt like it was going to break.

“Fuck!” he screamed.

“Stop fucking squirming!” Tyler’s voice was shrill and Tony could see that he had pulled Monty’s pants down.

“Fuck you!” Monty snarled.

“Tyler, stop,” Tony cried out, tears and snot filling his mouth. “Please!”

He could see the boy’s legs jerking forward and heard Monty groaning out in pain. Monty’s legs were still trying to break free but there was a lot of blood now underneath them and it did not look like he was going to make it out.

With each word, Tyler jerked forward angrily. “This is for all you’ve ever done.”

Tony was screaming at the top of his lungs, hoping one of their neighbors would hear.

“That’s not all you get.” Tyler’s voice coiled around Tony and sent a cold chill to his bone.

He watched as the boy stood up. His pants were still down and his dick was still hard as he reached down and grabbed the weapon. Tony watched in horror and he got back down and from the looks of it, sodomized Montgomery with it. The boy's legs were thrashing as Tony saw the end of the gun get shoved forward. He could hear Monty’s screams and felt vomit burning up his throat until he was puking on the carpet

There was a loud bang and Tony saw that Monty’s legs were no longer moving.

Tyler got off of him, gun in hand, and took a deep breath in as though he was meditating. He pulled up his pants and then turned to Tony.

“Shut the fuck up,” he said, as he walked over and kicked the boy clean in the face.

Tony hit the back of the wall and then was knocked unconscious.

###

Justin came out of the bathroom and saw Mr. Jensen standing outside of Clay’s room waiting for him. His soon to be adopted father pulled him in for a hug and held him tightly.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Justin lied. “That was just a typical day living with him. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine.” Mr. Jensen shook his head, his face looked upset. “You’re a child and he’s a grown man. It’s not right. I’m sorry you’ve had to live like that but not anymore. We love you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Jensen. For everything.”

“Anytime, son.”

Justin felt his throat tightening again but was not sure there were any more tears left in his tear ducts. He said thank you again and then Mr. Jensen let him go get changed in the room.

The moment he was alone with the door locked he rummaged through his clothes and found his stache. He wasted no time in getting the sweet elixir burned and ready to shoot. The beautiful liquid was sucked up into his needle, which he tapped and made sure had no air bubbles. Justin brought his foot up and put the needle to his toe. He actually hated doing it this way but knew he could not do it on his arms. This was the safest way to guarantee he could get away with it.

Justin stabbed himself with the needle and injected the drug. The moment it was in his bloodstream his body felt a wave of pleasure and happiness roll through every nerve ending. His eyes rolled back and he lied back onto the bed, letting his body succumb to the mind-altering beauty that was heroin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Windows 10 decided to do an update so I kind of feel like I rushed this chapter. I'm sorry if it was not the best. I hope if you all still are reading this you don't hate it after this chapter lol


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica calls Justin as Clay searches
> 
> Bellyache - Billie Eilish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like this one! :)

Jessica was lying on her bed with her phone held out above her. She opened up her contacts and called Alex. The line rang until it eventually went to his voicemail. She did not leave a message because whoever did. He would call her back once he was by his phone. When she hung up her screen was back on contacts. Flicking her thumb to make them scroll down, she landed on the J’s and saw Justin’s name. The picture of him smiling from their first date was still set as his contact picture.

Just looking at the photo had her stomach in knots. She needed to talk to him, to clear the air. They were not going to pick up where they left off and nothing was going to come from it. Jessica needed to make sure he understood that. There was no way she could deal with him pining for her again. She knew herself too well and if he began to prove his love for her again she would start to resent him.

The boy had come back and testified. He apologized. He did everything he could to rectify all that he had done. Ryan had said it was all due to “toxic masculinity.” Jessica had read up on what that meant and it was a real eye-opener on how the men around her behaved and why it was so prevalent. It was the first softening of her hatred towards him before he came back. It somehow helped her understand him a little better.

Her thumb hovered above his contact before she pressed the screen and his face took over the screen as the call began to ring.

_Ring._

This was dumb.

_Ring._

She could do this another time she did not need to call him right now.

_Ring._

Jessica pulled the phone away to hang up when he answered.

“Jess?” His voice sounded tired but happy.

“Hey,” she said, putting the phone back to her cheek. “Sorry to call.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I’m glad you did.”

She hated how familiar it all was and how it took her back to the days before. When they would talk well into the night about nothing and everything. When she could simply fall asleep while on the phone in her own bed without feeling terror. Her eyes started to water and a tear rolled down the side of her cheek and onto her ear.

“I just wanted to see how you were.” She pulled the phone away and blinked to make her eyes stop burning. “And um,” she put the phone back and sniffled, “talk to you about tonight.”

Justin did a laugh that sounded almost like a groan. “Yeah, that was something.”

“I’m with Alex.”

“I know. Listen, Jess, I like you but just as a friend. I mean, tonight felt like more a door closing. Like our final goodbye to our relationship.”

Jessica’s shoulders eased of the tension in them as she let out a long sigh. “Yes, exactly. I was worried you thought it might mean we were going to get back together or something.”

“Oh, no, not at all.” There was a pause before he said the next part. “I actually have a crush on someone.”

“Do you now?” This took a route she was not expecting.

“Yeah. But I don’t need to be talking to you about that.”

“It’s fine. I think it’ll be good. Prove we can be friends and all.” Jessica wanted them to get to a point where they could talk. Maybe not be close friends or anything, but at least have conversations and not hate each other.

“It’s dumb.” He groaned and sounded like he was stretching. “If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

“I won’t.”

“Promise me.”

“Oh, my God. You’re so dramatic. I promise.”

“Okay, good because I don’t need it getting out. It could literally fuck me over. But um, okay, so it’s kind of….”Justin took a long pause and Jessica was waiting in anticipation. “It’s Clay.”

“What? No way!” Jessica definitely was not expecting that answer.

Justin never hinted he was into guys but it kind of made sense. Him and Clay had been so close lately and whenever Jess saw them together they seemed less angry. Each one smiled a little more. Now that she knew that interesting fact, the signs were there.

“You can’t tell anyone. He’s about to be my adopted brother. It’s fucked up and stupid and it’ll go away.”

“Does he like you back?” Jessica had to know.

“I don’t think so. I don’t know.” Justin huffed into the phone. “Either way I can’t. His parents are too good to me. Like, Clay dropped me off to go and find Tyler and then Seth showed up and beat me and Mr. Jensen protected me and Mrs. Jensen was so nice. I can’t do that to them.”

“Jesus, I always hated Seth.”

“Me too.”

“Wait,” Jessica said, sitting up in her bed. “What do you mean Clay’s looking for Tyler?”

“You haven’t heard?”

“Who would I have heard it from. You guys were the only ones who left and no ones called me.”

“Oh, yeah.” He started laughing. “Shit, my bad. Tony left with Tyler who was heavily armed and then, like, now Tony’s phones off, he didn’t meet us in the spot and Clay’s trying to find him.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jessica felt panic grip at her throat. “What the fuck!”

“I know, right? It’s bad.” Justin was silent for a moment. “Shit. This really isn’t good is it?”

“No, Justin, it isn’t. Fuck.”

“And we can’t say shit because we technically helped him. Like, it’d be so much easier to just call the cops.” The boy choked out a laugh and said, “shit.”

“It’s not funny, Justin. What if--”

Jessica’s phone started to beep with an incoming call and a picture of Chloe popped up. That was definitely not the person she wanted to talk to right then but she knew the girl needed her. She dropped a fucking bombshell on Jessica in the bathroom and then just left right after, crying. When Jessica went to find her she was gone. She needed to take the call.

“Justin, I’m getting another call that I got to take. I’ll call you after.” Jessica did not wait for his reply and switched over calls. “Hey, Chloe. Are you okay?”

“Jess,” the girl whispered into the phone. “You have to help me. Tyler just showed up and Bryce’s with a gun. I was in the bathroom and I saw him and I ducked and I’m hiding.”

“Call the cops, Chloe, what the fuck.”

“Bryce is handling it,” she whimpered. “His friends are over and they’re talking him down. But, Jess, I’m so scared.”

”Are you sure you shouldn’t call the cops.”

”No, there’s drugs here.”

”Chloe who cares—“ 

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

Chloe shrieked and Jessica’s jaw dropped in utter shock. “Chloe, stay down. Do not move, okay.”

”I’m not,” she said with such pure horror.

“Well, hello,” Tyler’s voice slithered through the phone speaker before the line went dead.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Jessica immediately dialed Clay’s number and waited as the phone rang and rang and rang. He did not pick up.

“Shit,” she said, redialing. No answer. She tried one more time and still no answer. Next, she went and called Justin. Luckily, he picked up after the second ring.

“That was a short conversa--”

“I know where Tyler is! He’s at Bryce’s and he’s got Chloe and I heard gunshots and Clay’s not picking up.”

“I’ll try him. Maybe he’ll pick up for me.”

Justin hung up and Jessica called the police and told them what she heard. Then she was left alone in her bed completely unknowing if Chloe was okay or not.

###

Clay was speeding down the streets looking for that fucking red car. His heart had not slowed down since he left and his hands were sticking to the steering wheel from sweat. Tony was in danger because of him and he needed to fix it. He should have just called the fucking cops and talked Tyler down until they showed up. Why did he put him in a car with the one friend who always looked out for him?

“Fuck!” Clay shouted and hit the steering wheel and he skidded around a turn and onto a main street.

His eyes were constantly darting from side to side looking out for the car. Maybe they were parked in an alleyway? He couldn’t be sure, so he checked down each one he saw. There was still no sign of Tony’s car as he made a right. His car quietly sped down the road.

“Come on, come on, come on.”

The light ahead turned yellow and Clay slammed his foot down on the gas pedal, the car accelerating. He was positive he would not make it but was going to fast to brake at that point. It turned red a few seconds before he went speeding through, and before blue lights got added to the mixture. A police siren sounded and he saw a cop car behind him.

“Oh, shit,” he said, remembering the rifle in the trunk. “Fuck.”

Clay slowed down and pulled over on the side of the road, gripping the steering wheel as tightly as he could. His entire body was tense as he tried his best not to show visible panic on his face. Doing quick little breaths, he did his best to calm himself down and not give off any suspicion.

When he looked at his side mirror he saw that it was Alex’s father. That gave him some relief. The man gestured for him to roll down his window and he did.

“Hi, Mr. Standall.” Clay tried his best to sound normal.

“Clay, you were going fifty in a thirty-five and ran a red light.”

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I thought I could make it. It was really dumb and I know.”

Mr. Standall looked at him and then cocked his head. “You feeling all right, Clay?”

“Yes, sir,” he said, gulping. “Never better.”

Alex’s dad squinted his eyes and then took a step back. “You coming from the dance?” “

“Yes.” Clay felt his eye dart to the side. Shit.

“There was a call about a shooter tonight. You know anything about that? “

“Um, yeah, I heard something about it, yeah.”

“But you said you’re on your way home from the dance?”

“What? No, I meant I was at the dance and I left the dance and went and got some food and now I’m on my way home.”

“Clay, can you step out of the vehicle for me.”

The boy’s entire body sank into his seat. His breath was caught in his throat as he nodded his head and opened the door. His legs felt like metal as he swung them out of the vehicle and stepped onto the street. He was surprised his knees were not banging together with how much his legs were buckling underneath him in fear.

“You been drinking?”

“No, sir,” he said.

Alex’s father’s eyes surveyed over his face and Clay could feel sweat beads on the top of his forehead. His body was radiating heat with each passing moment and he was terrified of what was going to come.

“Can I have you walk in a straight line, placing your foot one in front of the other.”

“Yeah, totally,” Clay said, turning to start. His legs were shaking.

As he started to take the steps he heard his phone ringing from inside his car. Tony. What if it was Tony? He forced himself to focus, taking another step. The phone rang again. It had to be Tony. Alex’s father told him to come back and he walked back in a straight line. His ringtone went off for the third time and he knew it had to be Tony.

“Clay, is there something you want to tell me.” Mr. Standall was looking down at Clay and it made him extremely anxious.

“No, sir.”

There was a long pause and then his phone started ringing for a fourth at the same time a dispatcher’s voice said there was a shooting happening at the Walker residence. Clay’s eyes widened and realized that must have been what the calls were about.

“Go straight home and do not speed.” Mr. Standall ran back to his car, turned on the siren and sped off down the street, leaving Clay in complete shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up, next chapter is going to be the last really violent one and then the fic won't have anymore fucked up disturbing parts! I just want to answer the immediate cliffhangers lol


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to find out just what happened at Bryce's
> 
> Corrupt - Depeche Mode

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For people who have been reading this since the beginning, two things  
> 1) I started adding songs for each chapter to kind of set the mood. You do not need to listen to the songs or anything I just am doing it for my own enjoyment.  
> 2) I switched the dialogue in the last chapter between Chloe and Jessica and Chloe did not call the cops.
> 
> That is all.

Tony’s body slumped against the wall as Tyler took a deep breath. His dick was still hard in his shorts and he felt more in control, more powerful than he ever had in his entire life. Closing his eyes, he stretched his arms back and let out a soft moan. He turned on his heel and when over to Montgomery’s limp body. The sight was gruesome but Tyler’s stomach did not twist or revolt at the sight of the bloody corpse. Instead, he cocked his head with a vile grin at what he saw. The marks on Montgomery’s back from where Tyler took his pistol and beat him. There were also bruises on his ribcage that were not from Tyler, which he assumed was the father. He let out a soft chuckle. Blood was pooling out under his lower half where his pants were yanked down to his knees.

Tyler ran his hand over his buzz cut as his eyes rolled back.

Instant justice. It was the most pleasurable desire life had to offer and Tyler was biting into it with no plan to stop there. Every single one of them deserved what was coming.

Going back to Tony’s unconscious body, Tyler reached into his pockets and grabbed the boy’s car keys. His bag was still by Montgomery’s body and he needed to put everything away and move on to his next target. The neighbors had to have heard something. He knew he needed to move quickly.

He picked up his bag and the unzipped flap fell open. Holding it in one hand he grabbed his gun and put it in, on top of the pictures of the people who deserved to be met with justice. The butt of the gun crinkled onto a few photos, Bryce’s being on the top.

Tyler went out and walked to the car, starting it and driving it up to the driveway. He kept the car on as he got out and went back into the house and to Tony. His face was bloody and bruised and it made Tyler smile as he roughly yanked the boy’s body to the side to reveal his raw wrist. He undid the cuff and then pushed Tony down before cuffing his hands behind his back. Tyler put the pistol in the holster on the side of his jeans and grabbed Tony by his arms, lifting him so that his chest hung and legs dragged on the floor. At one point he dropped Tony on the pavement in the front but finally managed to shove him in the car and cuff him to the door.

The next stop, Bryce’s.

###

Jessica’s face was shocked when Chloe told her. The girl hated it. It made her feel worse than she already did. Jessica was counting on her on the stand and she choked. The way Bryce stared at her made her feel like he was going to kill her. Those pictures were evidence of a night she barely remembered, and she definitely did not remember those pictures, which made her skin crawl. How could he have done that to her? He told her he loved her?

Chloe hated herself for still being with him but she felt like she was completely stuck now. A baby. His baby. She would never be able to escape him. Lying on the oath was the first nail in her coffin. This was the final.

“Are you going to keep it?” Jessica asked.

“I….” It wasn’t that easy for her. Chloe’s parents were extremely pro-life and would never support her. And after Bryce was put on trial and his tape was released, most of her “friends” distanced from her after she stayed with him. People whispered when she walked by and scribbled comments in the stall. She had no one for support. It was starting to get just a dose of what Jessica had gone through.

And to think, she put those pictures up. Chloe’s eyes began to well up and she really did not want to cry in front of Jessica. That girl was so much braver than she would ever be. Chloe was an awful friend. Jessica did not deserve to have Chloe’s problems heaped on her. From the looks of it, she was doing much better.

“I have to go.”

She turned and rushed out of the bathroom as tears began to fall down her cheeks. When she turned the corner she ran into Bryce who was swigging away at his flask.

“Come on, babe,” he said, wrapping his arm around her and yanking her next to him. “This place blows. Me and some of the guys are going back to mine. Come on.”

“I don’t know, I kinda just wanna --”

“We’re all drunk. We need you to drive.” He took his keys out of his pocket and placed them in her hand, giving her a rough kiss on the forehead.

Chloe sniffled and shook her head as he stumbled forward and met up with Scott and one of the other jocks who hung around. She wiped her eyes and made her way out of the school and into the parking lot where they were standing and swigging from the flask. Why she put up with this was something she could not entirely answer herself.

It almost felt like she had to. As though if she did not date the jock and be good all the time that she was not real. It sounded dumb even when she said it to herself but it was how she felt. Chloe was the head cheerleader and she needed to keep appearances up. Getting pregnant her Junior year of high school and dating a convicted rapist was not part of her plan.

“There she is,” Bryce said, pulling her into him by her waist and kissing her.

His mouth tasted like bourbon and she hated it.

“Bryce,” she said, pushing herself back from his chest. “Come on, get in the car.”

“You heard her, boys.” Bryce winked at her and then let her go.

Chloe made her way around the driver side and got in, starting the car. The radio started and the three boys all cheered at the song, Bryce cranking it up as they started singing along. Chloe backed up and drove off with her shoulders tense. The car ride was annoying. The guys all talking about the bullshit drama that they were involved in and how Bryce was not going to graduate at the end of the school year.

He had asked Chloe to transfer schools with him but she refused. Her life was at Liberty High, even if she was the pariah now. It did not help that school ended in a month which meant summer break. She would start showing by then and that meant her senior year would not be able to be on the cheer team. And as much as she knew it was all going to be shitty, it was better than going to a new school with Bryce.

When they made it to his house, he tossed the boy’s his keys and told them to go right in and make themselves at home in the backroom. Turning to Chloe, he smirked and reached over touching her inner thigh. She quivered at the touch.

“You’re so hot,” he said, leaning over and kissing her neck, then down to her collarbone.

Chloe rolled her eyes and let her neck roll back to make room for his mouth as he continued to kiss.

“Bryce,” she said, one of his hand coming up and grabbing her breasts. “Let’s go inside.”

“Hold on,” he said, moving his other hand up her thigh and to her panties -- the dress made for easy access.

“Bryce,” she said, as he shifted so that he was lurching over her now as his hand slipped in and he slipped his fingers in. “Come on,” she said, pushing him off.

His hand came out and he looked at her with a confused expression. “I wanted to make sure I was giving you yours first.”

“I’m just not in the mood right now.” She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips. “Let’s go inside.”

“Okay,” he said, adjusting his dick in his pants before getting out.

They made their way back to the hangout. Scott had a few lines cut on the table already. Chloe rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch, grabbing the controller and turning on the television. Bryce immediately went for the cocaine, snorting a line in a rolled up twenty. The other two boys did the same and then Bryce turned to Chloe and pointed to a line.

“Come on, babe.” He went to hand her the rolled up money.

‘“No, I’m good.” She was still flicking through the channels.

“Whatever.” He leaned forward and snorted it. When he came back up he was rubbing the end of his nose and smirking. “Let’s go skinny dipping.”

“What?” Scott said, furrowing his brows. “It’s just us and Chloe.”

“Who cares?” Bryce was already taking off his top. “You got a small dick or something, Reed?”

“You already know that answer,” the kid said, and Chloe really just wanted them to shut the fuck up.

Bryce stood up and pulled down his pants, and then his underwear. “Well, I’ll be in the pool.”

The other guy stripped off his clothes and followed but Scott stayed behind, sitting down on the couch by Chloe.

“Mind if I watch something with you?” he asked.

The sound of the two other guys cannonballing into the pool filled the air. Chloe really did not want to be in either situation. Skinny dipping did not sound like fun, but neither did awkwardly sitting with Scott. The jacuzzi was an option but she really did not want to go in there naked. Hannah’s tape played back in her mind. It would be too weird.

“Sure,” she said, finally settling on E! News. “So, why don’t you want to skinny dip?”

“I just don’t really want to.” He shrugged, averting his eyes away.

“Okay.” Chloe went back to watching and ignored the boy.

He eventually stood up and went outside. She looked back and saw that he was just standing by the pool talking. That kid was different than the rest of the jocks. She wondered if he had the same mindset. If you’re a jock you need to be a certain way. Maybe that is why he hung around all the time but was not really apart of all the other brother bonding things the jocks did. Maybe he was just putting on an act like she was.

After a while, the guys came in and Bryce sat next to her all wet with a towel just around his waist. She wanted to tell him to change and not get her wet. In fact, lately, she was getting more and more annoyed by him every second they were together. She was just waiting until summer to break it off. He would be at a new school and she would not have to see him again. One more month with him was doable.

The guys each did another line and she rolled her eyes in annoyance, getting up to go to the bathroom. As she went to close the door, Bryce’s hand blocked it from closing and he entered, shutting the door behind himself. He was already pushing forward and kissing her, hard and sloppy before he took his finger and put it up her dress and went for where he had been in the car. Chloe went to push him off but he leaned all his weight on her and had her pinned against the wall. His finger slipped in as he thumbed her clit.

“Bryce,” she said, his mouth sweeping over her neck as he continued to rub his hand against her. His towel was dropped to the floor and she could feel his dick against her as he took his hand away and yanked down her panties.

“You’re into this, right?” Bryce was looking at her with these desperate eyes as though he already had his mind made up. Which he did. She knew that. She could say no and he would continue to try and convince her while moving forward with his actions. That’s how it always went, so she simply nodded in agreement.

He wasted no time as he hiked her dress up and lifted her body up by her thighs before he made his way into her. She gripped onto his back as he began to fuck her. It stung at first, as it almost always did with Bryce, and she groaned out into his ear. It made him go faster. Her back was hitting against the wall before he moved and placed her on the counter. Her hands were holding onto the edge of the counter as he continued to go back and forth, looking down at his dick sliding in and out. He slowed down, taking his cock all the way out and then slamming it back in, repeatedly. Chloe was hoping he would just come soon.

He took his dick out, rubbing the tip against her clit. “I’m gonna,” he said before he began to come on her abdomen and parts of her dress.

She was already grabbing tissue paper to wipe it off while he was still pushing out the last bit before slapping his dick against her folds.

“Fuck,” he groaned.

Chloe was already cleaning it up as he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around. He gave her a quick kiss and then was out of the bathroom.

One more month with him. She could do it.

After cleaning up and looking at herself in the mirror with shame, she went to the bathroom. When she opened the door and walked out, Tyler was standing with hi back facing her, a large gun in his hands. Bryce and Scott were talking him down and getting closer to him. They would be able to stop him but she was so scared. She dropped to the floor and hid behind the counter by the other end of the room, immediately dialing Jessica’s number.

###

Tyler stopped the car across from Bryce’s house. Tony was awake by that point but wasn’t saying anything. Usually, the boy would be talking but he was silent, his head leaning against the passenger door. His nose was full of dried blood along with his busted lip. Bruises could be seen on his cheek where Tyler’s shoe connected.

“Stay here,” Tyler said.

“Fuck you,” Tony said.

Tyler took his free hand and pet Tony’s hair. The boy snarled and thrashed in his seat. Tyler smirked and got out, locking the door behind him. The backpack was swung off his shoulder and he had the sawed off in his hands, making his way up the driveway and around to the side entrance. The house was dark but as he opened the side gate and stepped in, he saw that there was pool water all along the sides and Bryce with a few of his friends in the back house.

The boy silently crept his way over and opened the door, surprising all of them. Scott instantly threw his hands up in the air, dread filling his eyes. Tyler loved it. Bryce started to step forward along with another one of the boys.

“Put the gun down,” Bryce was saying as he stepped forward.

Tyler simply smiled before shooting Bryce in the knee, taking the gun and aiming it dead at the other kid’s face before pulling the trigger. Blood and brain matter splattered behind him and onto the wall. The gun only had two shots so as he grabbed for his pistol his pistol, Scott attempted to dive out of the way. Tyler was able to aim and shoot, hitting him in the back. The boy flew forward and landed on the glass coffee table, breaking it as blood began to drip onto the floor.

Tyler felt the wave of pleasure rolling through his entire body again. It all felt so fucking good.

There was a sound of someone whimpering that took away from his moment. He walked over to find Chloe hiding and on the phone. Tyler grabbed the phone and hung up the call before knotting his hand up in her hair and yanking her with him. Chloe shrieked and kicked as he dragged her into the room. Bryce was on the floor, shouting out in pain, his towel had fallen off.

Tyler was annoyed with how much Chloe was struggling and lifted her up by her hair before putting the pistol up to her temple. “Stop moving.”

“Please, please,” she cried out. Bryce was shouting for him to stop. “I’m pregnant!”

Tyler turned to her and then to Bryce. “She’s got your demon seed in her?”

“I swear to God don’t you touch her!” Bryce was pulling himself to Tyler, spit falling from his mouth, his face red as he struggled. Tyler could see a trail of blood following.

It was funny that he somehow thought he could stop any of it from happening.

“How does it feel, Bryce?” Tyler asked, taking the gun and pointing it at Chloe’s stomach. “To not have any power.”

Tyler turned his attention back to Bryce and did not pay much mind to Chloe, assuming she would not be a problem. That was until she grabbed him by the balls and he instantly dropped his grip on her hair. She rolled back immediately and kicked at his balls next. Tyler felt his stomach fill with the worst pain as he wanted to vomit and shit at the same time.

She got up and ran, not even stopping to try and help Bryce. Tyler snarled and flung his arm up, aiming and taking fire. The glass broke but the girl had made it out of the room and was still charging way. He took one last fire and shot and watched as she fell face first onto the ground.

Not exactly how he planned it but the night was still going strong.

Turning to Bryce -- who was naked and bleeding out on the floor -- Tyler’s dick hardened and he undid his pants.

“Time to make you know how it feels.” 

###

A searing hot pain tore through Chloe’s upper left arm and she went down. Her nose hit the concrete and the taste of blood filled her taste buds as a mind-numbing pain erupted into her skull. Her arm was radiating a heat of pure agony that made it nearly impossible for her to get up. But she did. She took her right arm and pushed herself up, looking back and seeing Tyler crouching down by Bryce.

That was her chance.

Chloe ran as fast as she could out to the front yard, her hand clamped down on the bullet hole as hot and sticky blood coated her fingers. She could hear sirens coming right as police lights filled the block. She waved for them and the came screeching to a halt. An officer got out and rushed over to her as she pointed back to the backyard. He called for an ambulance before taking his gun out and moving in on the house.

Chloe stood in shock and pain as more police cars began to pull up and eventually the paramedics. As she was being put on the stretcher and loaded into the back, she saw Tony was being questioned by the cops. He looked beat to hell and she was not sure what the fuck was going on but the doors closed and Chloe was off the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, that was the last angst-ridden violence chapter. Now we move into the emotional-angst part of the story :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony's night is shit but Zach and Alex still got it going
> 
> I Walk The Line - Halsey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I didn't update this weekend but it was a three day weekend for me from work and I really needed it. I literally slept most of the time. But here's an update!! I hope ya'll still like it!

Tony’s entire body was radiating pain. His face was swollen, his cheek already puffing up under his eye, and his mouth tasted like blood. Each breath was agony with not only the pain from his busted nose but a stinging with each breath from his ribs. He was pretending to still be knocked out as he had his head leaning against the car door. Tyler must have been in a rush and figured he was not a threat anymore because the cuff around his wrist was much looser than before. Possibly loose enough to even break free.

Since his eyes were closed he had no idea where they were going but he was surprised at how smooth Tyler was driving the car. He had figured he would be speeding off and swerving but it felt like they were simply cruising. Which, turned out they were because Tony decided to finally open his eyes and see.

They were in the nice part of town where the homes became garish and large.

Bryce.

Tony groaned as he shifted in the seat, his body stiff. He didn’t say anything. There was nothing to say. Tyler had just raped and sodomized Montgomery before brutally killing him and now he was driving like a sixty-year-old Grandma who never broke a law. The kid was way too far gone for Tony to even attempt to talk him out of it. Best case would be at some point Tony would be able to slip out of the cuffs.

They parked and Tyler left him in the car. That was his chance. As soon as the boy was out of sight, Tony began to try and free his hand. The metal cuff stopped right at the end of his thumb. He attempted to push his thumb more inward and get out but it was still tight. Tony did not have the same energy he had earlier and his body was aching as he kept trying to break free. That was until he heard multiple gunshots and then he got a boost of energy. With gritted teeth and all his might, Tony pulled as hard as he could until his head, very painfully, was free from the cuff.

Wasting no time he got out of the car and was about to run when he heard police sirens and saw them already on the street. He could also see Chloe standing where the driveway was, blood staining down her arm. A cop approached her and then he was rushing to the backyard as more officers pulled up.

Tony stepped into the street and held his hands up, calling out for help.

An officer walked over to him, his hand already wrapped around the handle of his gun. “What happened to you?”

“Please,” Tony said, seeing Chloe being put on a stretcher and taken away. That is what he needed at that moment. “Tyler held me at gunpoint and beat me and made me watch him rape and kill Montgomery de la Cruz.” Tony could not help it, he had been on high alert and adrenaline the whole night, but the waterworks started up.

He could feel his face crumple in on itself as he started to weep.

Six gunshots erupted from the backyard and the officer ran from him, calling for a paramedic to help him.

Tony stood with his legs shaking in the middle of the street, bloodied and traumatized.

###

Alex’s head was resting on Zach’s chest as they lay in bed together. The covers were above their waist but the left their bare chests exposed. Alex could stay in his arms for the rest of his life. It was the most comfortable and safe he had felt in a very long time. Alex smelt of pinewood and a nice clean deodorant. With his right arm, Alex made swirls over Zach’s chest and down his stomach, making the boy twist from the tickling sensation. When Alex went to do it again, Zach countered by pulling him in and kissing him.

Yeah, Alex wished he could stay there forever, but he knew he couldn’t.

The moment they were having was nice, but even if it was pure organic chemistry that Alex felt between them, he knew there was still one major roadblock keeping them from simply being. His relationship with Jessica. It was something that was keeping his mind from completely enjoying the moment they had just had. The guilt in the corners of his mind reminding him that he was cheating on the one girl he really cared about.

Jessica meant the world to him. She really did. But his heart was pulling towards Zach with such a speed his mind was still catching up. And now that it had, he was feeling beginning to feel worse off about the situation.

“You with me?” Zach asked, breaking Alex away from his thoughts.

“Huh? Yeah, sorry.” Alex shifted around to get a little more comfortable, nuzzling back into the crook of Zach’s arm. “I was just thinking.”

“About Jessica?”

“How’d you know?”

“You got really quiet,” the boy said, kissing his forehead. “It was cute.”

Alex sighed. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Kiss me and make me feel like it’s all okay.” Alex took his bottom lip and lightly brushed it across Zach’s skin. “I want to be with you, Zach.”

“I want to be with you too.” Zach’s voice was so sincere and made it all the worse.

“I can’t do that to Jessica, though. She’s been through so much and I can’t put her through more.” Alex did not look up to see his crush’s expression. Just imagining the hurt on his face made Alex want to cry.

“Alex.” Zach put his finger under Alex’s chin and lifted the boy’s gaze up to his, leaning in and delicately kissing Alex. His eyes rolled back and closed at how sensual it was. There bodies together, Zach taking the lead, their lips connected in the moonlight. The boy pulled away and Alex leaned forward, wanting more but only receiving air. “Are you sure stringing her along and making her think you love her is the right thing.”

He opened his eyes and saw Zach looking down at him with such soft eyes.

“I don’t know,” Alex said, shaking his head lightly. “I don’t….” He stopped mid-sentence and leaned forward, kissing Zach again.

Zach leaned in and had Alex lying on his back as he crawled on top. It was so fucking hot. Zach’s mouth never parted as their lips opened and closed, tongues exploring each other’s mouths. The boy sat on Alex’s waist and began to grind their dicks together as his warm chest was on Alex’s. Zach parted from his mouth and kissed along his jawline, nibbling on his earlobe. A zap of pleasure radiated down his body as his dick twitched against Zach. He continued to kiss, moving across his neck, licking his collarbones, and making Alex writhe underneath him.

Zach started to kiss down and continue to move down. Alex watched with hitched breath as Zach moved the covers away to reveal their naked selves. Alex’s dick was hard against his stomach and Zach’s mouth was getting closer and closer until his tongue licked the tip. Alex’s eyes rolled back in his skull from the feeling of Zach’s warm and wet mouth swallowing his head before sucking down.

Alex groaned out as one of Zach’s hand was rubbing up and down his chest and stomach while the other was cupping his balls and rubbing them. He leaned up and watched as Zach’s mouth worked on his cock. The boy looked up and made eye contact as he took Alex’s dick and slapped it against his cheeks.

“Fuck,” Alex said, falling back into his pillow as Zach went back to working his magic.

Zach did not quit. His mouth was hot and sloppy as he worked up and down, slurping. The muscles in Alex’s body were getting tighter and tighter with each bob of Zach’s head and he knew it was only a short matter before he was coming. Zach went down and began to suck on his balls while continuing to jerk him off. The feeling was ecstasy. He arched his back as the boy continued and his breath was getting shorter and shorter.

“I’m gonna….” Alex did not finish his sentence.

Zach moved quickly and took his dick in his mouth again right as he began to come. Alex bit his knuckle and jerked forward, Zach holding his hips down as he deepthroated, swallowing every last drop. He slowly lifted up, teasing Alex by going back down a few more times. It tickled and he grabbed Zach by his arm and pulled him up, their lips smashing together.

“That was amazing,” Alex said, licking his lips. “Let me suck yours. I want to.”

Zach got on his knees in front of the boy and Alex leaned forward, placing Zach’s cock in his mouth. The boy began to move his hips forward to make it easier and Alex kept his mouth open, tongue working along the head of Zach’s dick. The boy was moaning and cussing as he kept up the rhythm. At one point he pulled it out and told Alex to stick his tongue out. The boy did and Zach slapped his dick on his tongue, laughing before sticking it back in Alex’s mouth. He was able to deepthroat a few times, and boy did he love the sounds that Zach made when he did. It was a low deep moan that sounded like he was finding religion.

Alex took his hand and started to jerk off Zach’s dick while keeping the tip in his mouth and working his tongue all over that uncut cock. The boy was no longer moving his hips but had his head back and was breathing heavy. His V-shaped six-pack was the hottest thing Alex had ever seen as he leaned back, it looking like an arrow to his dick. Alex began to twist his hand and slowly bring it up and down with each pump.

“Fuck, if you keep doing that,” he said, his voice almost like a growl. “Yeah, oh, my God, yes. Just like that.”

Alex continued on until Zach was groaning out and the boy’s mouth was filling with each bob of his head. Alex had never swallowed before and was not expecting it to taste the way it did. Almost like salty chlorine water. It was interesting, but also so fucking hot.

Zach fell back onto the bed and shook his head a huge grin plastered on his face. “You sure you don’t wanna be my boyfriend? Shit, after that I might go and get my Grandma’s ring and propose to you.”

“Shut-up,” Alex said, smirking. “Let’s just not talk about it right now. It’s too good of a moment.”

“Agreed,” Zach said, snuggling up to him.

“Was that your first time giving head?”

“Yes,” Alex said, biting his lower lip.

“My God,” Zach said, laughing and looking up at the ceiling. “That thing you did with your tongue felt so fucking good.”

“I try,” he said, closing his eyes, a happy grin snuggling into his cheeks.

“I really do like you, Alex.”

“I like you, too.”

The two of them lied together in silence and eventually fell asleep in each other’s arms.

###

Tony was questioned by the police at the hospital. His father did not leave his side through any of it. They gave him a prescription for 800mg ibuprofen and eventually let him go with his father. It was already three in the morning at that point and all he wanted to do was lie in his bed, cry, and fall asleep. His car got impounded because it was now part of the investigation and his cellphone was in there.

It was truly the worst night of his life.

His dad tried to talk to him but he said he did not want to talk.

All Tony wanted to do was be left to himself.

People were too damaging and he was tired of helping them. It got him into too much trouble and he needed to start taking care of himself.

That started by taking four of the pills at once when he got home and lying in bed, hoping to God that is numbed him enough to make his mind stop working too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, Tony is not suicidal. I realize that is an overdose amount but I'm going based on personal experience. I took 5 800mg ibuprofen and I'm chilling so that's my basis for that last part. I promise there will be no more death in this fic!
> 
> Also, two people have commented about Scott's death and I wanna ask everyone because I can switch it around, make him live, and add him to the fic more. Because trust me this fic is probably going to be like at least another 40k. So, just comment down if you want me to switch it around and I'll give the boy his life back aslk;djflsk;d I'm sorry about killing him. I really didn't think people cared about his character.  
> So, question, do you want Scott to live and be in the fic and get some growth as compared to his very short existence in this mess of a story?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe is in the hospital.
> 
> In My Veins - Andrew Belle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry I did not update all last week my sister was home from college for one week before leaving for London so I spent time with her. I felt so bad leaving yall with no new chapter and I'm sorry this one is short I just need to get past this night in the fic so I can move on to what I actually want to write, which does not take place on this long ass night hahaha it's been almost 20k and like 5 hours in the timeline. I have a lot more planned that needs to start happening~*~*~

Justin was lying on the couch in gym shorts and a white tank top, his phone dangling in his open hand hanging off. His head was a swirl of pleasure as he rode the wave and stared at the ceiling. The popcorn spackle made designs as he tilted his head to see new pictures exploding out at him. His eyes were heavy as he breathed in and out slowly, wishing he could stay in the blissful state forever.

Clay had not called him back and he was not entirely sure how long it had been. The boy would call him back with an update. He was sure of it.

But instead, Clay came barging into the room, brow riddled with sweat and a look of anxiety that filled every inch of his pale white face.

“Fuck,” he said, closing the door behind him and starting to pace. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

“Clay, man,” Justin said, standing up and feeling his legs wobble underneath him. “What happened? I tried to call you to tell you Tyler was at Bryce’s.”

“What?” Clay frowned and stopped, turning and making eye contact. “How did you know?”

“I was on the phone with Jessica and I guess Chloe called her and there were all these gunshots and --”

“Fuck,” Clay said, running his hands roughly through his hair. “I did this.”

“Clay,” Justin said, stepping forward, trying his best not to show any indication that he was high. “You stopped him from shooting up the school. You didn’t --”

“I put him in the car with Tony. I don’t even know if Tony….” Clay started to cry, bending over and placing his hands on his knees. His body shook with each sob and Justin walked over to him, placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“It’s not your fault.” Justin squeezed and kept his hand there. “It’s not your fault, Clay. It’s--”

“My fault.” His voice was defeated and he sniffled shouldering off Justin’s hand and backing up to his bed before falling back onto it, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hand. “I just hope Tony’s okay. I….I can’t lose another friend. When Jeff died and I found his body and I….I can still smell the rubber of the tires.” Clay sat up and took a deep breath. “I can still smell the gasoline and hear the glass under my feet on the gravel. I can still feel that horror like it was yesterday. And Hannah. Hannah was everything to me. I can’t lose another person I care about Justin. I can’ do it.”

“Hey,” Justin said, sitting down on the bed next to him. “No matter what happens, I’m here. You’re not losing me, okay? Your fucking adopting me, man. You are stuck with my junky ass whether you like it or not.”

Clay bumped shoulders with him and did a small chuckle, just enough to make Justin feel like he was saying the right things. “I’m not stuck with you. I wanted them to adopt you.”

“Let’s hope you don’t regret that,” Justin said, nudging him back and feeling his heart flutter in his chest. Maybe it was the drugs, maybe it was the moment, but he felt a genuine connection to Clay that had the tips of his fingers tingling and his body soaring.

“I won’t.”

Clay put his head on Justin’s shoulder and lightly shook it. “I just hope everyone is okay.”

“They are,” Justin said, putting his arm over Clay and pulling him in for a sidearmed hug. “It’s going to be okay, Clay.”

###

Chloe was in the hospital. The walls were a stale white and the room smelt of ammonia. She had a bandage on the bridge of her nose and it hurt to even wiggle it at all. Each breath she took was through her mouth and on the occasions when she forgot, her nose would remind her with a sharp pain. Her arm had a large white bandage taped where the bullet had torn through. Tears were falling from the sides of her eyes. They didn’t stop. It was constant as her head was engulfed in the pillow and her vision was just of the ceiling.

She was not sure how long she had even been there but she did not want to look at the clock. She wanted to stay in that pillow and pretend the world did not exist. Pretend that she was in her bed at home and all of this was just a horrible nightmare. It would work for a few moments as the pain medicine had her able to relax, but then a nurse would come in and check on her and make sure she was okay and ruin the sad fantasy.

Her parents came in next and were all over her, making sure she was okay. Chloe knew she should be happy to see her parents but her insides were in knots. The doctors had to do blood tests. They would know she was pregnant and let her parents know. The situation was going to get from complete shit to actual hell. Her father’s eyes were so full of love and worry for her and she felt ashamed. He would never look at her the same.

They went to church every Sunday and were extremely pro-life. It was already hard enough when she had to go on the stand. Her mom was surprisingly on her side which shocked her. Her mom was more lenient than her father was with most things. In fact, she was the reason Chloe was allowed to have a car and was allowed to go out to parties. Her dad objected but her mom took her side and trusted her. That’s what made it all the worse. She was going to start showing and her dad was going to hate her and probably blame her mom for giving her all the freedom. Chloe wanted to just melt into the sheets and not be there for any of it.

She was staying overnight and told her parents that they could go home and get rest and that she was fine. She wasn’t fine. But Chloe needed to be by herself. The idea of having to see her parents’ faces full of distress was eating her alive. They argued but eventually they did head home to let her rest. The two of them would be back first thing in the morning. Chloe was double hugged by them and kissed about a thousand times before the two of them slowly maneuvered their way out, stopping every few steps to turn back and say they love her one more time.

It must had been late into the evening or early into the morning depending on who you asked, but the door to her room opened and in came a rolling bed with Scott lying on it. His face was pale and his eyes were closed as they set him up next to her, giving her privacy by pulling the curtain between the two beds.

Once the nurses and doctors were gone, Chloe stayed still and did small breaths, listening to see if Scott was awake. There was rustling coming from his bed and then he groaned out.

“Scott,” Chloe said in a hushed tone.

“Chloe?” He said, sounding confused.

“You’re alive,” she said, her throat closing and more tears welled up. “I thought….”

“I jumped at the last minute,” he said, letting out another groan.

“Is Bryce….” Chloe couldn’t finish the sentence.

“Yeah.”

The two of them were silent, only the sounds of the monitors beeping filled the void.

Chloe went to say something but her mouth was as dry as a desert. She cleared her throat and licked her lips, trying to get the words out. “Is Tyler dead?”

“Yeah.” She could hear sniffling coming from the other side of the curtain. The boy was trying to hide his crying she could tell, but as he tried to inhale it caught in this throat and he just started to wail. “I….I thought I was going to die. I….I still….I feel like…..”

Chloe’s face crumpled in on itself and she started to weep. The two of them cried together in the plain room.

Nothing was going to be okay.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica and Alex meet up
> 
> Watch - Billie Eilish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slowly moving forward!!

Jessica’s phone buzzed next to her pillow and woke her up. She groaned, seeing the sunlight splayed across her carpet through the cracks in the blinds. When she turned over and grabbed her phone the screen read “Alex.” Her stomach dropped because for a moment she had forgotten that she cheated on him the night before. With a quick sigh, she answered the phone.

“Hey,” she said, making sure to sound extra groggy.

“Hey, Jess.” Alex’s voice was quieter than usual. “Did I wake you?”

“Yeah, but it’s fine.” She pulled the phone away to look at the time. “It’s twelve-thirty, I needed to be woken up.”

He chuckled lightly and let out a deep breath into the line. “Jess, can we talk?”

Her stomach sunk. Had Justin said something. Fuck. She decided to play it off like she was oblivious. “Aren’t we talking right now?”

“I mean in person.” Alex cleared his throat. “Can you meet me at Monet’s at three?”

“Yeah, sure. Is everything good?”

“I’ll see you at three,” he said, ignoring her question and hanging up.

Shit. He knew.

Jessica dropped her head back into the fluffy pillow and wished she could take that fucking moment back. It happened so quickly and she felt empowered when she did it. She was in control. It was oddly therapeutic to get it out of her system, but definitely was not worth ruining her relationship with Alex. They had not even had sex. They were taking things slowly because Jessica was not ready. Or at least she was not ready to go all the way with Alex. It didn’t make sense to her but for some reason talking to Justin about wanting to live after all the shit they had been through -- and what he did -- made her feel more in control and ready for that than she had felt since that night.

She took back power from him in an odd way and now she was going to pay for it. It was kind of poetic. In order to start and find herself again, she had to hurt the guy who cared so much for her. Jessica could feel her eyes starting to burn. She felt like shit.

###

“Do you think she knows?” Zach asked, lying on Alex’s bed shirtless with only his black boxer briefs on. They were pulled down low enough to show his trimmed pubes and every muscle leading down to his dick.

“She asked me if everything was okay. I had to get off. I was about to blurt it out.” Alex let out a sigh and sat down on the edge of the bed. He was wearing Zach’s basketball shorts and nothing else. “I couldn’t tell her over the phone.”

“I’m sorry I put you in this situation.” Zach moved his hand to his stomach, his other one flexed behind his head, propping him up. “I brought up the porn and the jerking off and asked if you wanted to. I shouldn’t have.”

Alex shifted and laid down next to him on the bed. “I did want to. I do still want to. I want to suck your dick right now. I just can’t do that to Jessica. I need to tell her the truth have and break up. I don’t want to be a cheater.”

Zach nodded. “I feel you.”

“I’m sorry,” Alex said, shaking his head. “I should have never asked Jessica out or anything. I should have told you how I felt before.”

“Yeah, if I had known I was missing out on months of that warm mouth….” Zach leaned forward and kissed him. “I would have just asked if you wanted to jerk off a while ago.”

“You’re dumb,” Alex said, feeling his cheeks rising into a smile.

“My grades would say otherwise.” Zach wiggled his eyebrows.

“My grades are crying for help.”

“I can help. We can work on some school during our P.T.”

“I am not going to be focusing on school during my physical training. Do you realize how much I have to focus on the task at hand when we do?”

“Yeah, I wasn’t thinking.”

“I tell you what,” Alex said. “How about if I survive the break up with Jessica we can work on school work together.”

Zach nodded his head in agreement. “Sounds like a plan.”

###

Jessica showed up at Monet’s a little early. She couldn’t help it. Her nerves as strung as a guitars wires. All she could really hope was that Alex could find it in his heart to forgive her and maybe they could remain friends. She knew their relationship was over. The thought of staying together after she cheated made her feel somehow worse. Cheating was always something that she found to be a betrayal on a deeply personal level and now she had committed that crime against Alex.

No, they were not going to leave there together. Jessica just hoped with all her might he would understand.

She ordered a coffee from the new girl. Skye just stopped working there one day. Jessica had no idea where she went or anything. The girl was not at school, not with Clay, and nowhere to be seen around town. Maybe she had moved to another town. Jessica wouldn’t blame her. So much shit was constantly happening, and their school seemed to be the epicenter of each disaster. The community was still reeling from Hannah’s suicide, Alex’s attempted suicide, Bryce’s trial for rape, and now the public tapes.

The town felt like it was flipped on upside down in the past week.

And as Jessica sat down with her coffee, she saw that the local news was on, on a television set up in the corner of the shop. The volume was muted but there were subtitles and she could see that there was a reporter standing outside of Bryce’s house.

Jessica began to read the subtitles as the newscaster spoke.

“What happened last night was nothing short of the most horrific crime scene that the local police have seen in decades. Liberty High School student, Tyler Down, went out last night and committed multiple homicides. We don’t have all the details in yet but what we can confirm is that his body, along with Bryce Walker’s and Frank Welsh, were discovered dead on the scene. Local police say that they found the assailant sexually assaulting Mr. Walker before taking a shard of glass and cutting the boys throat. Police neutralized the threat but not before the star-athlete back was murdered. Mr. Welsh's body was found dead on the scene, a gunshot wound. Along with those three, police also were alerted of a second location from a hostage of Tyler’s, Tony Padilla. The boy had been beaten and held at gunpoint and was forced to drive the shooter to his first victims. High School baseball player Montgomery de la Cruz and his father were found shot and killed. The young baseball player had been sodomized and brutally murdered. Two other victims are in recovery at Liberty Hospital. Their names have not been released. As soon as we get any more information we will have an update.”

The screen flashed with “Breaking News” before cutting to a commercial break.

Jessica felt her stomach begin to twist and flip inside her as she immediately grabbed her phone and texted Chloe to see if she was okay. The night before had been so hectic and she knew that she called the police which might have saved the girls life. All she hoped was that she was all right. Her phone was latched in her hand as she waited to see if the typing bubbles would appear when Alex sat down across from her.

Jessica looked up and saw the pain in his eyes. Putting the phone down on the table, she did a weak smile and he reciprocated.

“Hey,” he said, looking down and avoiding eye contact.

“Hey.” Jessica bit her bottom lip. “You wanted to talk?”

“Yeah. Something happened last night that I think we should talk about.”

“I know,” she said, her hands clamped together in her lap.

“You do?” He looked up with wide eyes.

“Yeah. I feel like shit about it.”

“I’m so sorry, Jess.” Alex had tears in his eyes and Jessica was suddenly confused. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“What?” Jessica’s brows were furrowed. “You didn’t hurt me. I hurt you.”

“Wait, what?” Alex now had the same confused look. “What are you talking about?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I cheated on you last night.” Alex looked down and would not look back up. “Zach and I just kind of….I’m so sorry, Jess. I never meant to let that happen. I swear I never meant to hurt you. I feel like trash for doing that to you and I just --”

“Hold on.” Jessica leaned back in her chair and for some reason could not help but laugh. Her eyes crinkled and she threw her head back, her hands covering her mouth as she giggled.

“It’s not funny. I fucked up and I can’t even look at you I feel so guilty.”

“Alex. I cheated on you last night, too. With Justin. I thought this is what it was about. I couldn’t even talk to you last night I felt so guilty about it.”

“Wait.” Alex cocked his head as though he was not fully comprehending. “We both cheated on each other? Does that like void the cheating?”

“I guess?” Jessica chuckled.

Alex took a pause and then he started to laugh a little too. “Maybe we both knew we were better as friends subconsciously and did it on the same night because we somehow are that connected.”

“So, what does this mean?” Jessica felt relief that she was not expecting and it made her shoulders loosen up immediately.

“I still love you. I love you so much, Jess. But--”

“It’s not the type of love that’s romantic, is it?” Jessica took a sip of her iced coffee. “Because I love you, too, Alex. I really do. You and I are so good together, but maybe more as a platonic thing.”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding his head. “I think you’re right.”

There was a long pause as though both of them were wrapping their heads around what it all meant.

“I’m still sorry I cheated in the first place,” Alex said. “I should have never have done it in the first place.”

“You and me both.” Jessica reached across and held onto his hand. “We’re a mess.”

“We really are.” Alex smirked and squeezed her hand. “Friends?”

“Friends.”

Jessica and him stayed like that for a while not saying anything, just holding hands. It felt like the final moment of their romantic life together and it was such a beautiful moment for Jessica. There was no animosity between the two of them, no heartbreak, just a weird understanding that they were not meant to be. It was oddly comforting.

“So, Zach, huh?” Jessica smirked and Alex rolled his eyes.

“So, Justin, huh?” Alex grinned.

“Do you think it’s going to go anywhere with him?”

“I don’t know,” Alex said, looking down. “I kind of hope so.”

“I hope it works out for you. I really do.”

“Thanks, Jess.” He looked up and gave her a questioning glance. “You and Justin going to…?”

“No. I don’t want to be with him at all. I don’t know how to explain it but in the moment it felt like I was in control and getting a piece of myself back. I know that sounds dumb but --”

“It’s not dumb, Jess. Nothing about that is dumb.”

“Well,” she said, “I got it out of my system and now I’m ready to be celibate.”

“Wow,” Alex said, “Jessica, a nun? That’s something.”

“Fuck off,” she said, and the two of them began to laugh.

“I’m glad we’re good, Jess.”

“Me, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just wrapping up the little things I made happen the night before and then this fic is gonna do a time jump~*~*~ things you can expect in the fic as we move along with the storyline  
> \- a county fair  
> \- another relationship forming  
> \- relationship drama  
> \- fluff  
> \- angst  
> \- more sex  
> \- more drama  
> \- more characters will make appearances 
> 
> hope yall are still enjoying!!!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clay sees Tony 
> 
> Shine a Light - BANNERS

Clay woke up and turned to his side to see if Justin was still asleep next to him. The night before after he came home, they laid down and both of them fell asleep. Clay had woken up in the middle of the night to go pee and found Justin under the covers, hand extended over Clay’s abdomen. The boy had quietly maneuvered out of the bed without waking Justin. When he crawled back into bed the boy groaned out something that was not at all words and rolled onto his stomach. Clay had gone back to bed smiling.

But now he was groggy, the sun was shining onto the floor from his window, and Justin was not next to him. He checked his phone next to his face and saw that there was a message from Tony. That instantly woke him up. Clay sat up in bed and read the message.

“Hey, Clay. I’m good. I’m at home. Imma be home all day if you wanna stop by.”

Clay was already up and out of bed, speed typing back that he was on his way. His heart was racing but he also felt relief knowing Tony was alive. The boy was alive. Thank God. Clay didn’t both changing since he fell asleep in the clothes from the night before. Instead, he swiped some pomade in his hair and put some deodorant on before rushing out of his room.

The bathroom light was on his the hallway.

Justin.

Clay hit the door. “I gotta go. Tony texted me. I’ll see you later!”

Without waiting for a response, he dashed down the stairs and out the front door. His mom was saying something but he tuned it out and figured she would text him within the minute. It didn’t matter because the new trust rule his mom and him agreed on was very lenient and very open to interpretation. She said she wouldn’t ask where he was and he could say that he felt that meant no telling her when he left. It was all very easy.

As he sped down the road his phone buzzed with a message from his mom. Like clockwork. She was very predictable.

He made it to Tony’s house in ten minutes. A few red lights were run but that did not matter. All that mattered was seeing Tony and knowing that he was okay. Clay didn’t even text he was there like he normally would have. Instead, he was knocking on the door without hesitation. No one answered. Clay knocked again, this time louder. That time Tony answered the door and Clay threw his arms out and leaned in for a hug before being pushed away.

“My entire body is in pain,” Tony said, and that is when Clay noticed his bruised and gashed face. “Thank you, though. I would love a hug from you but it’ll be too painful.”

“Oh, my God,” Clay said, following him in. “Are you okay? Jesus, what happened?”

“Here, come to my room. Caleb’s over.” Tony hobbled forward. He was in gym shorts and had a blanket hanging over him from his shoulders. He must have been shirtless. “I didn’t even know you texted, Clay. You should’ve called.”

“Were you busy?”

Tony stopped in his tracks and turned around. “I was….Nevermind. The point is you should’ve called before.”

“Shit, my bad.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry.”

“I can come back.” Clay was already turning around in his steps when Tony latched onto his shoulder and pulled him down the hallway towards his room.

“Clay, it’s fine. Come on.”

Caleb was sprawled out on his stomach on the bed with his feet up in the air. “Hi, Clay,” he said, giving him a look that said the boy had ruined a moment.

“Hey,” he said awkwardly. “Sorry. I just needed to see Tony. I’ve been worried all night.”

“I can tell,” Tony said, sitting down on the bed with the blanket still covering him. “You’re wearing the same thing from last night.”

“Yeah. I was driving around looking for you and then I got pulled over and found out about Tyler at Bryce’s and just….”

“I was handcuffed in the car when he was at Bryce’s.” Tony looked down. “But I was there the entire time for Montgomery.” He cleared his throat and looked up, his eyes glistened with tears. “I don’t know why he didn’t kill me but he made me watch. Cuffed me with the perfect view.”

He sniffled and wiped his nose, Caleb shifting on the bed so that he was next to him and holding him. Clay could see Tony was trying to say something but it was getting blocked in his throat as tears started to drop from his eyes.

“I….I thought high school was just going to be some bullying, get called a fag here and there. I never thought I’d watch a classmate murder and rape another one. I never thought there’d be this much death and fucked up shit. I just….” Tony blinked rapidly and coughed. “I feel like I don’t know what’s going on around me anymore. I feel like everything just keeps getting worse and worse and I need to get out of here before I die.”

“Hey,” Caleb said, his hand rubbing up and down Tony’s arm. “You’re not gonna die, don’t say that.”

Tony did not say anything. He just stared off and lightly shook his head.

“I’m so sorry,” Clay said, interrupting the silence. “I should’ve called the cops. I shouldn’t have done that. I thought in the moment it made sense but it was so dumb. I put you in danger, Tony. I did this to you.”

“For once don’t make everything about you.” Tony stood up and walked over to him. “I love you, but you really need to stop. I could have said no and called the cops, too. Any of us could have.”

“Not me,” Caleb said, and there was an obvious attitude in the comment. “I was obliviously thinking my date ran off on me.”

“You were obliviously safe.” Tony turned back to him and must have made a face because Caleb simply rolled his eyes and turned over to lay back down.

“Listen, Clay,” Tony said, giving him a sympathetic look. “I get you were worried but I’m fine. You gotta stop with this lone-man-world-on-your-shoulders bullshit, okay?”

“Yeah,” Clay said, kind of caught off guard. “Yeah, I guess. I’m gonna head out. I’m sorry again.”

“Clay,” Tony said.

“Tony, I’m fine.” Clay stepped back and towards the door. “Sorry for interrupting and everything. I’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” Caleb said, waving.

Clay left and was playing Tony’s comment over and over again in his head. “For once don’t make everything about you.”

Did he make everything about himself?

Clay got in his car and drove back to his house with his mind mulling over the entire encounter.

###

Chloe was on the toilet crying. Her abdomen was cramping almost as though she was having her period. It hurt and that was when she felt something shift down and come out. It felt like a blood clot but she was pregnant how could she be having her period? When she looked in the toilet, sure enough, there was a blood clot in there.

But that would mean?

Chloe felt her face crumple in at the realization that she had most likely just had a miscarriage. Tears were flowing down her flushed face. She felt light-headed as she grabbed a tampon from the drawer and put it in. Turning to herself in the mirror, she held onto the counter in front of her to keep her still. Her legs were shaking underneath her and she felt like she was about to vomit.

Her phone buzzed on the counter by her hand and she saw that it was Jessica. Chloe did not move her hands. She kept them gripped onto the edge and tried to get her breathing under control.

“You’re okay, you’re okay,” she said, still crying.

She was not even sure why she was crying. Logically, she knew this meant her parents would not find out; she would not be tethered to the Walker’s for the rest of her life; she would not have a baby on her plate when she went to college. This was good. This was a good thing.

But her body was not letting her minds logic calm her down. Instead, she went into her room and fell onto the bed, weeping into the pillow. Once she was able to catch her breath and stop shaking, she would call Jessica and ask the girl to come with her to the hospital. She needed to know for sure and did not want to do it alone. But until that moment came, her tear ducts were open for business and her throat was choking back wails in her throat.

Life just kept getting worse.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nina is healing
> 
> Heroin - Lana Del Rey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I am taking the liberty of veering from the canon timeline. You will see what I mean. Anyways, sorry I'm not updating daily my schedule is way different than last year. Hope whoever is still reading is still enjoying! :)

Justin had his head in the toilet bowl, puking his brains out when the door knocked and he heard Clay’s muffled voice saying he would be back later. Not even bothering the say anything, Justin lifted his head, spit hanging from the corner of his lip. He pushed himself up onto wobbly legs and stood in the front of the bathroom mirror, arms extended out to the counter to keep himself up.

Aside from the green hue underneath his eyes, the rest of his face was drained of any color. His arms were shaking as he gnawed on his lower lip not sure what to do. Fuck. He could shower and just head out for the day so the Jensen’s wouldn’t see him coming down. But then he’d be by himself and that was too easy a temptation. Maybe one of his friends could help him out -- or was he even that close into the group anymore?

Justin glared at himself in the mirror, his blue eyes looking especially dead. With a snarl he pushed back the shower curtain and stripped, turning the water on hot before entering into the steamy air to relax and focus.

###

“Jessica,” Nina said, stopping in her tracks on the sidewalk.

The girl was wearing a daisy jean jacket and a nice pink sweater. It was overcast, sure, but Jessica did not think it was that cold. The girl had her hands shoved in the pockets and was smiling as Jessica stopped also.

“Hey,” she said, doing a quick nod.

“Listen, I needed to talk to you.” Nina took a breath and a small grin rose on her cheeks. “I just, last time we talked I told you maybe we’ll never stop being victims.”

“Yeah.” That had struck a chord with Jessica that day. It was the reason she backed up Chloe and continued to even after she lied on the stand. That statement made her realize that until she stopped seeing herself that way and started building up the women around her, then that might be all they were.

“I was wrong.” Nina crossed her arms. “When I had said that I felt so helpless and stuck and like that was all there was for me, you know?” There were tears in her eyes. “And then you just come out of nowhere like this whirlwind talking about justice and testifying and I’m gonna be honest, Jess, it freaked me the fuck out.”

“Nina, really,” Jessica said, “you don’t need to. I thought about what you --”

“Jess, please, just let me say this. I’ve been thinking about it and thinking about it and it feels like a sign that you’re here.”

“Okay,” Jessica said, crossing her arms and listening. “Go ahead.”

“I started reading this blog about self-care and trauma and working through things, and I feel like it’s given me a new perspective. I’m not a victim, I’m a survivor. We’re survivors. I just have been really thinking over the past few days and I feel like I’ve really worked through some things and am ready to move forward in my healing. I could not have done it without you, Jess.” Nina reached out and took Jessica’s hands. “You stood up to that piece of shit and even though he didn’t get jail, he’s transferring and that’s better than nothing.”

“Wait, have you not heard?” Jessica felt bad for not responding to the rest of what she said but also how had Nina not heard about Bryce’s death yet. It was all over social media.

“Heard what?”

“Have you been on Twitter lately?”

“No, I deleted all my social media after….” Nina made eye contact with Jessica. “What happened?”

“Um,” Jessica said, not really sure if she should say it as happy news or not? “Bryce is dead. Tyler went on a rampage last night and killed him and a few others.”

Nina’s face was unreadable. Her mouth was slack and she took a deep breath. “Wait, so he’s gone, like, forever?”

“Yeah.” Jessica had not really given it a lot of thought since she was still waiting for a reply from Chloe letting her know if she was okay. But now that she was talking about it, she was not entirely sure how she felt. A part of her felt like it was poetic justice and he got what was coming to him and another part felt bad for his parents. It was weird. Jessica did not really want to dwell on it so much.

“Holy shit,” Nina said, letting out a chuckle. “I’ll be damned. Prayers do work. I think I will be going to church tomorrow.”

Jessica giggled. “Stop.”

“What? You’re telling me you’re not happy?”

“I feel weird about the entire thing.” Jessica sighed. “I feel like this town is cursed or something.”

“It would make for a good setting to a horror movie.” Nina looked around. “Definitely a Halloween Michael Myers type film.”

“Sure,” Jessica said, feeling her phone buzz in her pocket. She reached in and saw it was Chloe asking if she could come over. “I have to go, Nina, but it was nice seeing you. I’m glad you’re doing better.”

“Me, too.” Nina smiled and pulled Jessica in for a hug. “We should hang out soon.”

“For sure, just text me.” Jessica turned on her heels and went on her way to Chloe’s.

###

Justin was sitting on a curb eating a burger. It was already late afternoon. Clay had texted him about an hour after he had left that the boy was home. As much as Justin had wanted to head back right when he got that text he knew he couldn’t. His skin was burning up at the moment and he was pretty sure if he did not get something in his system soon he was going to puke up all that he was eating. He was just so hungry and the Jensen’s gave each boy a twenty dollar allowance a week. The burger was four dollars and he now had sixteen bucks which would be perfect. He could get score some for seven bucks at his usual spot and still have nine bucks left over.

The sun was setting when he finally headed to where he usually bought. He was not a regular per say, but he did go enough to get a few head nods as he walked down the dimly lit street. It definitely was not the best area of town and the congregation of people gave that away, but Justin did not judge. He was one of them. The washed up and abused parts of society that get cast out be it from addiction, a hateful family, mental illness, or any other fucked up reason. They all came together and found some sort of community in their pain.

But the pain still remained palpable in every sorrowful eye he met.

He made his way to his dealer and they did the handshake, exchanging the money and baggy in one swoop before Justin kept walking forward as though nothing occured. As he was stepping out to the end of the street away from the most crowded spot of people, he noticed someone hunched over a small fire. She had natural springy hair, in an outfit far to clean to indicate she was homeless, and something about her made him think he might know her. Slowing down on his pace, Justin squinted to get a better look as he waltzed past.

She threw a few small pieces of -- holy shit those were the polaroids and that was Nina!

“What the fuck,” Justin said, making sure to shove his purchase into his pocket and away from her sight. “Are those the --”

Nina stood up immediately and dumped the rest into the fire, grabbing a small can of lighter fluid and dousing them before he could stop. The flame ignited and a ball of heat surrounded the two of them as Justin stood in complete shock.

“Nina, what the fuck?”

“Justin, you need to get the fuck away from me.” Nina pulled out a small switchblade and held it out by her waist.

Justin put his hands up. “I’m not gonna hurt you, what?” Wiping his nose with his sleeve he rocked on his heels with wide eyes. “You broke into the car and took them? I don’t get it.”

“Of course you don’t.” Nina let out a deep sigh. “How could you?”

“Listen, Nina, I get you don’t like me or whatever but Jessica needed those pictures to --”

“To what?” The girl threw her hands up in the air. “To get all the other girls slut-shamed and dragged down the horror show that is Liberty High. Whether a judge has these pictures or not won’t change the fact that Bryce would have walked no matter. I mean, Jesus, look around you. Do you even pay attention?”

“I know Liberty High is shit but you don’t know if those girls would have wanted them burned.”

“And Jessica had no right bringing them to court to expose them in public.” Nina had tears forming in her eyes. “There was evidence. There was a fucking confession tape, I mean, he should be in jail.” She let out this defeated sort of laugh. “Every day someone is raped every two minutes. Every two fucking minutes. And if they are like Bryce and the vic--survivors are like me, it doesn’t matter how much fucking evidence there is, he is going to walk. That’s justice in America.”

“I don’t believe that.”

“Yeah, well, check your fucking privilege and get back to me, okay?” Nina wiped her eyes very quickly before letting out a disdainful chuckle. “Speaking of privilege, your new family know you’re out here buying H.”

“I’m not….What? I just needed a walk.”

“Down ‘herion alley?’ It wasn’t nicknamed that because of a female superhero. Not to mention you look like you needed a hit five hours ago.”

Justin rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. “Please don’t--”

“I’ll stop you there.” Nina held her hands up. “I never saw anything, if you also never saw anything.”

Justin could feel the ball of guilt in his stomach. It was raging especially hard knowing he and Jessica had just made up. If he didn’t say anything he would betray her, but if he did and she told the Jensen’s, then he would be kicked out and Clay would most likely hate him. If he got kicked out he would for sure be back on drugs, but if could just wean himself off with what he had just bought he could start to actually go back to a semi-normal life with his adopted brother who he secretly wants to fuck.

“I won’t say anything.” Justin clenched his jaw tight and turned on his heels.

“Hey, Justin,” Nina said, the fire lighting half her face.

The boy stopped and turned in his tracks. “Yeah?”

“Hope you didn’t buy a hotshot there.”

“Yeah,” he said, his face dropping down as he trudged away, feeling like absolute shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The time jump is either happening next chapter or one more after. I'm not sure if I want to dwell on anything else or skip ahead.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jessica spends the night at Chloe's and Justin comes home to Clay.
> 
> Bite - Troye Sivan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been quite a while since my last update. Thank you all for bearing with me. My schedule right now and life is not making time for me to write but I am going to try my best to keep the updates coming quicker. I am going to pride this weekend so I will not be updating for sure over the weekend but I'll try and see if I can get one more in tomorrow night! 
> 
> Hope yall enjoy!

Chloe was weeping in Jessica’s arms. The two girls were sitting on the edge of Chloe’s California King. When Jessica had come over, the blonde girl was sitting on the floor with a rats nest for hair, a bandage on her arm, and the most vulnerable that Jessica had ever seen her. Chloe had looked up and immediately began to cry. They had said a few things but the majority was Jessica just being there for Chloe and listening to her.

She told the story of the what happened with Tyler. Jessica realized that the girl had not heard the full story after hearing her recounting of it. Deciding to spare her the graphic details of what Tyler did after she got away, Jessica simply listened. It was strange to know more about the crime but also still learn so much from the first encounter response. The news could never do justice the horror and trauma that it causes. Chloe could barely get through it and told Jessica she still had yet to sleep.

It made Jessica empathize with her.

Eventually, the crying did subside and Chloe sat up. Jessica put her arm over the blonde girl and held her close; Chloe nuzzled up to her shoulder. It was strange but it felt nice to Jessica. Her heartbeat was quickening and she wanted them to stay like that and not have to move or talk or end it. The closeness felt nice. It also didn’t help that even though Chloe had not slept or showered, she smelt like coconut and a sandy beach.

Chloe shifted and turned to face Jessica. “Thanks for coming over and being here.”

“Of course,” Jessica said, a reassuring smile arose across her face. “I’ll stay as long as you need.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” Jessica could see the relief in Chloe’s blue eyes.

“Can you spend the night?” Her voice squeaked out in an unsure way by the last word. “I’m afraid to sleep alone.”

“I just need to let my parents know and they should be cool with it.”

“Are you cool with it?” Chloe averted her eyes and Jessica could see a few tears were forming again.

“I’m totally cool with it,” Jessica said. “We can order some shitty food and just lay here and do nothing.”

“That does sound pretty great,” Chloe said as she chuckled. That was the first time since Jessica had been over that Chloe did anything other than cry, which made her feel like maybe her being there really was helping.

###

Justin walked down the street with his head hung, feet dragging across the pavement. Nina’s comment kept playing over and over in his head. A hotshot was one of the things he always feared. Her voice echoed in his paranoid mind. That bag in his pocket could possibly kill him. Each time he heated it up and injected that piss yellow-orange drug he risked dying. It was the biggest inner battle with himself over his usage. The logic was there, it was. He applied logic when he would argue with himself. The problem was that these conversations were done at a time when he would have sound judgment. But that eventually turned into his body beginning to get sick, his bones would ache, his skull would feel like a jackhammer was being applied to every corner, and his stomach betrayed him in every sense of the word.

He lost the battle each and every time.

When he made it to the Jensen’s, guilt coursed through his veins knowing he had the drugs. He avoided talking to the adults and was able to sneak past them and go upstairs. Justin knocked lightly before slowly pushing the door open. Clay was lying on his bed, one arm behind his head and headphones dangling out of his ears and connecting to his phone. The boy’s eyes were closed and he was mouthing along to the song and Justin could not help but beam. He licked his bottom lip as he continued to lip the lyrics. His other hand laid across his stomach. His shirt rose slightly by his waist and Justin could see a trail of hair leading down. His dick hardened in his jeans and that was also the moment Clay opened his eyes.

“Justin,” he said, pulling the headphones out of his ears. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“You have?” Justin said. He closed the door behind him and stepped into the room.

“Yeah,” he said, sitting up and stepping off of his bed. The boy walked over to Justin and stopped when he was close enough for Justin to feel his breath on his lips.

“Well,” Justin said, gulping, “I’m here.”

His heart was racing as him and Clay locked eyes. The air around them was static. Justin’s breath caught in his throat. He wanted to kiss Clay so badly but knew he couldn’t. But from the looks of it, Clay felt the same. Maybe --

His thought was cut off as Clay leaned forward and their lips connected. Justin’s eyes fluttered closed as Clay pressed firmly and kissed him twice, their bodies touching before Clay pulled away.

“I….” Clay looked worried and Justin needed him to know it was okay.

Without waiting, Justin pushed himself into Clay and the two of them were together again. This time, Justin took the lead, placing his hands on Clay’s lower back and pulling him in close. He could feel Clay’s dick against his leg and knew Clay would feel his tight in his jeans. Their tongues began to dance together as Clay put his arms around Justin’s neck. The boys did not part as they made their way to the bed.

Justin pulled away just long enough to toss Clay back onto the mattress and climb on top, desperate to feel Clay’s warm soft mouth on his own. Justin’s body was on fire as Clay took his hands and began to explore Justin’s body. The boy eventually pushed Justin onto his back and crawled on top, slowly rubbing his ass against Justin’s dick. The two were still fully clothed and it still felt amazing. Clay placed his hands on Justin’s chest as he leaned down, back arched, and began to kiss Justin some more. Justin grinded his hips up and down against Clay as the boy let out small moans.

Justin and Clay kept that momentum up for an hour straight. It was the best hour of Justin’s recent life. It was better than he had imagined in his head. Clay knew what to do to drive him wild. The boy would nip at Justin’s bottom lip, kiss slowly up his jaw until his teeth were lightly biting Justin’s earlobe, and wrap his hand around Justin’s neck. Each and every one of those things made Justin shake to the touch with pleasure.

Clay was mesmerizing.

Eventually, they did slow it down and toned it down to a cuddle session that consisted of small pecks and lots of smiling. Justin could not remember the last time he had smiled that much. It was exactly what he needed.

“Do you think I’m selfish?” Clay asked as they laid together with their hands interlocked together.

“Are you kidding me?” Justin said. “You are totally selfless. You constantly are trying to help. Why would you even ask that?”

“No reason.”

“Hey,” Justin said, taking his free hand and putting it under Clay’s chin to turn his head. “You're not selfish.”

Justin planted a delicate kiss on his lips before kissing his nose, and then his chin, and then his neck. Clay started giggling before pulling Justin back up to his lips.

“I’ve wanted to do this for a while,” Clay said.

“Me, too.” Justin could not stop grinning.

The two of them stayed together in bed together talking and kissing and talking and kissing until they both fell asleep in each other’s arms. Justin did not even feel the need to use the heroin he was planning on taking that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me just say I was originally going to make Clay and Justin not hook up or Anything until the end of the fic but I figured I would just give yall this since I am taking a while to update lol originally Justin was gonna shoot up and talk Clay down because he was going to be upset about what Tony said. I decided to make him instead turn his upset to horniness.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 months have gone by and things have yet to get better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweetener - Ariana Grande

Tony woke up drenched in sweat. Again. It was becoming a constant. Even with the sleeping pills his doctor prescribed. All they really did was help him initially fall asleep. They did absolutely nothing to stop the terrors that lurked deep in his subconscious. Some nights he’d wake up gasping for air and feeling like he was suffocating; other nights he’d wake up choking back tears, shaking; some nights he slept the entire night through. Those were the nights when Caleb slept over and held Tony in his arms. Those were the nights Tony wished never ended. The nights when Caleb’s breath lightly breezed against Tony’s neck as the boy nuzzled into the crook of Tony’s neck; the nights when their lips would touch and his mind would cease overthinking.

Caleb was Tony’s safe place. It did not matter where he was, as long as Caleb was with him he felt secure.

The fourth of July had been tough. Caleb’s family went out of town and Tony stayed in. Each time a firework went off he was back in Monty’s living room, captive in the nightmare that was that night. The assault, the shotgun blast, the limp legs, the blood. It all came back in a supercut. Tony could not move that night. His breath was short and his head was vibrating as he thought he would pass out at any moment. It was the worst panic attack he had encountered since that dreaded night.

His dad found him shaking on the floor of his room, unable to speak. The next day he was in his psychiatrist’s office. The dosage of his antidepressant shot up and a new prescription was written for Xanax. That was two weeks ago.

As Tony kicked off his blanket and stood up, the air conditioning hit his visibly wet shirt and sent a chill down his body. With a deep breath, he reached for the orange pill bottle on his nightstand and popped a Xanax. He hated that he needed it but the truth was he was not functioning well. If he did not have it the day would be a mixture of trepidation and nausea.

The weekend was two days away and he was nervous about that. Him, Caleb, Justin, Clay, Jessica, Chloe, Alex, Zach, Scott, and Nina were all driving to the state fair. They all got rooms at the same hotel. Caleb and Tony got a room for themselves. And even though he was hopeful that he would have fun, this was going to be the first time he went somewhere since Tyler went on his massacre. Most days he stayed home. He did not go back to school. The remainder of his year was done at home. The school allowed him to have take-home packets.

This weekend would be a test of his strength and how much progress he truly had made. He wished he would be okay.

He was not confident in himself, though.

###

Jessica had her head propped up on her pillow as she watched the girl under her sheets put in work. Her back arched with the flick of her tongue as a moan escaped Jessica’s mouth. She bit her lower lip as she came, her hands under the sheets squeezing the other girl’s hands. It was the best way she had been woken up to in a while.

Jessica’s eyes were glazed as the sheet lifted and Nina rose up, licking her bottom lip.

“Damn,” she said, crawling up and kissing Jessica. “You needed that didn’t you?”

“You have no idea.” Jessica grinned and let her head fall back into the fluff of the pillow.

“Chloe isn’t hitting it right?”

“Shut up,” Jessica said, rolling her eyes. She already felt guilty that she was cheating. She didn’t need to be reminded of it right after.

“You know I’m only kidding.” Nina lied next to her on her side, resting her head on her hand. “Besides, you already know how I feel about you two as a couple.”

“I know. You don’t ever let me forget.”

“I just think you deserve better. She treats you like shit.”

“And what?” Jessica asked, irritation filling her voice. “I’d be better off with you?”

“I mean,” Nina said, doing a slight shrug. “I wouldn’t get drunk and berate you.”

“She’s going through it right now. I’m not going to just abandon her when she needs me the most.”

“All I’m saying is, she doesn’t treat you well.” Nina reached out and ran her hands through Jessica’s hair. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“Nina, please.”

“Fine,” Nina said, getting out of the bed. She had on jeans that were unbuttoned and no shirt. Her bra had one strap hanging off her shoulder. Reaching for her shirt she threw it on over her head and buttoned her pants. “You’re gonna get tired of being treated like shit and just know I’m not going to keep waiting for that day.”

“Are you done?” Jessica crossed her arms and did not move from the bed.

“Bye, Jessica.” Nina let out a huff and turned around stopping at the doorway. “Just because she’s dealing with something doesn’t give her the right to --”

“Goodbye.” Jessica cut off Nina who shook her head and left, closing the door behind her.

Jessica got out of bed and walked to the mirror set up in the corner of her room. She was in her bra and underwear as she stood and examined her body. There were still visible bruises on her arms and legs. They were faded and barely visible, but to her, they were still branded into her skin.

Maybe Nina had a point.

###

Justin felt good. The night he and Clay kissed he told Clay about the baggy and the two of them got rid of it together. Justin went through withdrawals. Not as bad as the first time but still he vomited and had the runs. Once the fever broke and he felt better, Clay and him began to get closer. They talked nightly. Discussed their biggest fears, their hopes for the future, their love for movies, and how they had always had a crush on each other. Even when Clay was deeply in love with Hannah, he admitted to Justin that there was always a tinder in his heart that was ready to be ignited at any time. It just took all the tragedy to bring them together.

It was all going well.

There was just one problem.

Justin stopped Heroin.

But he took up painkillers.

And as he turned on the faucet and opened up his pill bottle he noticed that this was the last one.

“Shit,” he said, popping it into his mouth and trying to figure out how he would find the time to get away to get more pills before they left for the fair. He and Clay were leaving in a day. They booked the hotel a day in advance so that they could have one romantic night together. But if he did not figure out a way to sneak off to get the pills, the entire weekend could be ruined.

“Fuck,” he said before he entered back into Clay’s room and crawled into bed next to the sleeping boy.

Hopefully, his supplier had some pills. He had been taking a few more than usual and ran out a week before he was meant to refill.

He needed his refill.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope if anyone reads this they enjoy and I'm hoping to write this one just as quickly as the one last year!


End file.
